Folio Vol. 38, Issue 6

Harmonizing

AMBAR

A political primary is a preliminary election in which the registered voters of a political party nominate candidates for office. The key word here is preliminary. The current system allows small states such as Iowa and New Hampshire {assisted by the media} to award front-runner status to the victorious candidate. From there the candidates travel a path determined by which states wants to “leap frog” the other by moving up their primary dates. Candidates are whisked across the country without any real ability to distinguish regional issues from national issues. Consequently, party platforms are determined by a make-it-up-as-you-go approach. If the primary process were organized on a regional basis, candidates would be able to study the regional issues, campaign to confirm those issues and then receive votes based on the solutions they propose. A regional approach would also prevent a premature selection of a front runner because success in one region certainly would not guarantee success in the next region. This would also further validate the process because each state would still have a say all the way down to the end. Finally, the number of delegates awarded in each state should be determined by the percentage of votes won by each candidate. And yes, convert the caucuses to primaries.

Accordingly, the political primaries should occur between January and June of each presidential election year. Each of the six regions would be assigned a particular month. A lottery held in June of the previous year would determine which month each region holds its pri maries. An example illustrates the format:

February

Southern (8):

Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

March

Atlantic (8):

Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina,

April

New England (8):

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,

Joe Bialek

T H E MAIL

BOUQS & BRICKS BOUQUETS BRICKBATS

To the Empowered Kitchen, founded in 2018 by Chriss Brown and six female entrepreneurs, this organization gives back to the community in various ways In honor of Women’s History Month, we commend them for actively training and providing mentorship in all aspects of culinary and business education to women interested in the culinary industry. The founders of the nonprofit are committed to elevating women’s voices in Jacksonville. Holding events most months, check out one of our favorites coming up on April 14: Railroad BBQ Challenge & Beer Fest BBQ Competition.Tickets can be found here theempoweredkitchen.org/events/railyard-bbq-challenge-beerfest-2.

To students at Alice B. Landrum Middle School, Zoe Walker and Evie Prediletto, for getting honorable mentions in C-SPAN’S annual StudentCam contest for their documentary “ The Human Genome Project.” The StudentCam contest has proven to be a great platform for young critical minds across the country to share their voices on issues that are important to them. We love that two local students stood out among the 3,200 students who participated nationwide.

To PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in our water and landfills, we are appalled by the suspected levels of water and environmental contamination in Jacksonville and surrounding areas. Why isn’t this toxic, cancer-causing pollution issue discussed more? According to government reports and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Jacksonville’s Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Mayport Naval Station, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center and other locations across the United States are identified as having contaminated drinking water in nearby communities due to PFAS use by the military. Evidently, the government is aware of this and has informed our military, yet bases continue to utilize PFAS in training exercises... Whoa.

HOROSCOPES

Words by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri

ARIES

March invites you to embrace spontaneity and explore new avenues of excitement, Aries, but remember, not every adventure needs to be a daring leap — sometimes the most fulfilling journeys begin with a single step.

TAURUS

Pull out the tarot deck, Taurus: The universe is ready to answer your questions. Messages are coming in dreams and some signs seem too good to be coincidental. The stars are pushing you to trust your psyche and to use your inner powers for good.

GEMINI

This March, opportunities for intellectual exploration abound, Gemini, so dive deep into the labyrinth of your own thoughts, but be wary of getting lost — sometimes simplicity holds the most profound insights.

CANCER

You’re in a state of limbo, Cancer. This month can either bring relationships to the forefront or break relationships apart. Can you have the tough conversations before time runs out? Or rather, can you have the tough conversations with yourself? To grow, one must reflect. How this month goes, is entirely up to you.

LEO VIRGO

Let your inner lioness roar with confidence and grace this March, Leo, but remember, your strength is a beacon for others, so temper your power with gentleness to guide the more timid souls in your pride.

Feeling impulsive, Virgo? You can still be impulsive without being reckless. Maybe it’s time for a new haircut or new hair color. Or maybe it’s time to switch your current food hyperfixations and try something new. This month, you are tasked with implementing something different to your otherwise standard routine.

You’ve had time to relax, Libra, now it’s time to get to work. Your relationships and work life are on thin ice; when you focus on one thing it seems that other aspects of your life are being neglected. And it’s not only affecting you. It’s all about balance.

Libra Scorpio

Dive fearlessly into the depths of your passions and desires this March, Scorpio, but don’t forget to come up for air occasionally — even the most intense flames need oxygen to sustain their fervor.

Sagittarius

Pull out the brooms, bring out the non-toxic surface cleaners … it’s time for a deep spring clean, Sagittarius. The past couple of months have been a bit hectic with tensions high both in relationships and careers. On March 10 a new moon rolls into your Fourth House of Home and Family, bringing with it a fresh start.

Capricorn

March presents opportunities for you to ascend to new heights and conquer new challenges, Capricorn, but remember … the journey may be treacherous, so ensure you have a sturdy pair of shoes and a resilient spirit to weather any obstacles along the way.

Aquarius

Familiar with spring showers, Aquarius? For flowers to bloom, they need rain, and similarly, for you to grow, you need to get all the things holding you back out of the way. Think of it as a spiritual spring cleaning. Get that much needed sleep, have the difficult conversations and clear the air.

Pisces

Go with the flow and embrace the currents of change this March, Pisces, but be mindful not to drift too far from solid ground — sometimes you need stability beneath your feet to navigate the ever-shifting tides of life.

FOLIO WEED

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT

Words by Shelton Hull

With very few exceptions, the cannabis market in Florida has seen almost continuous growth since medical marijuana sales began on Jan. 1, 2015 with the overall value now 10 to 15 times what it was back then. That trend is almost certain to continue, and the likely approval of recreational use on the November ballot will spike those numbers like nothing we’ve seen before. You can be certain that businesses of all types are making their expansion plans, and not just the established dispensaries, though of course they are.

The ancillary effects will be felt by a wide range of businesses in Northeast Florida and beyond, all of which will be hiring next year, and many of which will be hiring now. With summer being the busy season, almost all the dispensaries are hiring right now, and since you, the readers, are always asking me about that, this month we’ll talk about that in greater detail. All I ask is that if you apply, tell them I sent you, and if you do get the job, call me and tell me what it’s like.

The good news for jobseekers is that most of cannabiz keeps their openings listed prominently, consistent with their general tradition of transparency. In many ways, it’s very much like any other retail gig; if you’ve ever worked at a mall, which was once practically a rite of passage for young Americans, you’ll be well-familiar. More good news is that most cannabis news websites now carry job listings, and the category is searchable on most general employment sites, as well as platforms like LinkedIn.

In all cases, it certainly helps to know the product, but it’s actually not that important because they all have their own systems and specialized language, which they’ll teach you. What is important, however, is having a clean driving record and, ideally, a spotless criminal record. With all the hundreds of millions being invested in this industry, the last thing they want or need is to have people trying to steal product or, worse, trying to game the system by running goods out the back door or under the proverbial table. I haven’t heard of anything like this happening here, but they’re all keenly aware of the possibility, and that’s reflected in the hiring process.

To take the most notable example, Trulieve is the state’s largest dispensary, and they basically paid to get recreational onto the ballot. They’re showing no concern about potentially losing market-share; indeed, they plan to continue reinvesting. They have hundreds of job listings on their website, both full- and part-time, dozens of which are within driving distance of wherever you are right now. For them, as with most other dispensaries, the majority of the open spots are for dispensary associates, which you might consider “front of house” in restaurant terms. They’re the ones consulting you on your purchase, working the register, etc. They’re the face of any dispensary, but just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of all the people needed at this scale..

The Ocala branch needs a general manager, which will probably be hired from within, as well as an executive director for marketing strategy and planning. They’re also looking for inventory managers (the folks in the back, behind glass, preparing the orders), as well as fulfillment associates, sanitation associates, shift supervisors, IT and maintenance techs, development engineers, warehouse and delivery drivers. That latter category is one that’s certain to expand.

As Trulieve goes, so goes every other company trying to keep up with them, which means that similar positions (which may or may not have similar names), will continue opening up among all their competitors, as well. The pay is generally good, but it’s still an evolving market, and wages should rise as profits increase. Even if it doesn’t pay that great, it still pays much better than being a mule or a corner boy or a lookout, and those were the only such jobs available 10 years ago, so I’d say that we’ve made pretty good progress already.

JACK RABBITS LIVE — CHEERS TO 25 YEARS OF A LOCAL MUSIC DYNASTY

Words by Briana Pereira

Jack Rabbits, a concert venue located in the San Marco, turns 25 this year. The venue opened on Hendricks Avenue back in 1999 after Tim and Anne Hall moved here from San Diego, California. Anne is the venue owner, and Tim is responsible for booking shows through Jax Live Presents, his talent-buying and promotion business.

The location can be easily identified by its red spray painted doors and is popular for hosting smaller artists that are indie, punk, metal and alternative. The venue has a family friendly atmosphere for people of all ages, but they also serve cheap drinks for those 21+ looking to have a fun time.

In its 25 years of business, Jack Rabbits has remained a unique and important role in the Jacksonville music scene. From the jump, the venue has been a space for local talent to flourish and somewhere to catch the next rising star. Artists that have now been on tours world wide had performed on Jack Rabbits’ stage to a crowd of just 300 people in the past, artists like Paramore, Tegan and Sara (this one’s for all of my fellow Grey’s Anatomy lovers), Modest Mouse, Kurt Vile and many others.

Attending a concert at a smaller venue like Jack Rabbits can seem a bit intimidating at first, but with the right crowd and performer, it’s nothing but intimate and feels like such a safe space. July 2023 was the first time I attended a concert at a venue as small as Jack Rabbits. I was seeing an artist who I loved at the time and who I had seen in the past once before, but not only had I chosen to go to this concert solo, it was also crowded, and humid — like that sticky, damp, hot where you’re on the verge of being miserable, especially after just doing your hair and makeup. I was overwhelmed by nerves standing around anticipating the doors to open. All of my anxieties were washed away the minute I made it through into the venue, as I had immediately been befriended by the audience members surrounding me. In addition to that I had later experienced a concert like no other before, so personable and intimate. Having such a small space allows the artists to interact with their audience in ways not possible at other venues, and it also allows for a different level of connectedness between audience members.

I’ve attended concerts at spots like the House of Blues in the past which are considered to be smaller venues, but the interactions between the performer and the guests were nothing compared to what you get somewhere like Jack Rabbits. The concert I attended in July was for Hobo Johnson, a rapper, poet and singer-songwriter. I had seen him and his former band, Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers in Orlando about four years prior. This time around at the concert, I remember so many details of how he interacted with members of the audience, even allowing a few to join him on stage and play chords to some of his most popular songs. For me as a viewer I remember the interactions so well, and I cannot even begin to process how it felt for the fan who had the opportunity to stand on stage in front of a whole audience and play alongside one of their favorite artists. Talk about a core memory.

So when I think about Jack Rabbits celebrating 25 years as a venue, I develop quite the sense of gratitude for the tone it has set for the concert goers throughout Jacksonville. The power of having a small, local, live music venue that hosts some of the next and best upcoming artists is so valuable to the culture of music. It allows the audience to develop a connection with both musicians and the fanbase creating a greater sense of community.

Yeah, attending a sold out show at VyStar or Daily’s Place is a separate feeling of surrealness, but nothing beats the intimate settings of a packed room with 200-300 fans, oh so present in every moment. One thing I noticed is a lot of the artists that Jack Rabbits hosts tend to appeal to a more niche fanbase, creating a tight knit community of regular concert goers within the city, and embracing the different elements within the music culture of Jacksonville.

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Words

& photos by Amiyah Golden

“Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” — the catchphrase that is ingrained into the minds of Americans today, as the result of the beginning of the 1970s movement, marked a national pledge toward global environmental conservation. This slogan instilled an urgency to incorporate these actions as daily practices. Recycling was never a foreign concept, though, as it is noted by many historians that Americans back then did better at the task — prior to any intentional environmental education or movements — than we do today. The reusing of textiles, food and various materials to combat waste and to repurpose goods further supported the value of materials.

While historical moments such as war, the Great Depression and the Industrial Revolution factored into the notion of many citizens having to “just make it work,” and, in turn, subconsciously not catering to mass consumerism, it was just a brief stall in the forthcoming boom of overconsumption.

The late 1940s served as a turning point in spending culture as the average American was able to engage in consumerism again due to the end of the Great Depression and increase in job opportunities. Then there’s the thrill that accompanied purchasing 1950s “necessities”: a home, a car, kitchen appliances, televisions — and Tupperware? The possession of such “things” really solidified your devout patriotism (and for many, that belief still rings true today).

Historian Elaine Tyler May provides great commentary regarding 1950s consumerism in the PBS article, “The Rise of American Consumerism.”

“The values associated with domestic spending upheld traditional American concerns with pragmatism and morality, rather than opulence and luxury. Purchasing for the home helped alleviate traditional American uneasiness with consumption; the fear that spending would lead to decadence,” she wrote.

Wow, our ancestors were right on the money with the foreshadowing.

This fear obviously wasn’t frightening enough for us, as we swim in decadence today with multiple Stanley cups, various subscription boxes, oodles of clothes we don’t even touch and the cycle of rotting groceries because we decide to frequent our routine eating establishments daily instead.

I am all for one buying what they desire, especially in today’s rigorous work culture.

It’s important to “treat yo self,” as quoted from the iconic duo, Tom Haverford, and Donna Meagle (for all my Park and Recs stans) but it’s also vital that we recognize the effects that collective procurement can have on ourselves and most importantly the environment!

The ice caps are melting if you didn’t know (and no not the fancy restaurant ones) the ones that are home to species such as polar bears and penguins. The glaciers of Antarctica and the sea ice in Finland are thawing at an incredible rate due to components such as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide, and the continued rise of industrial industries.

You’re probably reading this from the comfort of your Florida home and wondering how this affects me?

“I don’t live in Antarctica.”

“I love the warmth.”

“Ah, I’ll be dead before global warming affects me.”

Perhaps these are thoughts that run across your mind – or criticism you’ve heard in passing discourse – nonetheless, the climate affects YOU and you’re probably the one in a billion that’s contributing to the current climate crisis.

It affects your family, your friends, your pets, and most importantly the upcoming generation. The practice of overindulgence in the marketplace is a big contributor to the failing state of the environment. With an increase in air pollution, waste, greenhouse gasses, and the use of natural resources to accommodate buyers – it further decimates plant life, weather patterns, air quality, food supply, and habitats - and will overall lead to a grim reality for us who call, Earth, home.

With the rise of influencer culture, as well as accessibility, the landscape of how we dissipate continues to change – and not for the better.

Websites such as Amazon, Shein, Temu, Fashion Nova, and Nike proceed to imprint their huge carbon footprint on a global environmental scale. With huge consumer bases and myriad industrial systems, they pave the way in the place of earnings, but at what cost?

Not only do environmental issues echo activists’ concerns but also ethical legitimacy regarding workers. Factory conditions often being subpar, as well as the question of use of child labor, unfair wages and overworked employees, has led to many investigations that often seem to be buried or swayed. This is why many companies find themselves resorting to countries such as India and Vietnam which are known for their lax regulations.

The same abuse can be found in various countries, such as China, which have “strict” labor laws, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that many companies favor meeting consumer demands before the well-being of their workers.

Shein, a fashion and lifestyle online retailer, for example, has been called out numerous times for their inadequate working conditions. An undercover investigation by a U.K. broadcasting channel confirmed suspicions. They revealed workers being paid as little as $556 (U.S. Dollars) a month while working 18-hour days, and only being allotted one day off each month. This went against the labor laws that China has in place and left many — including me — with a bad taste in their mouth concerning Shein. Although the company went on a PR campaign to clean up allegations with a sponsored trip for influencers to come to visit their warehouses (and influencers sharing videos to their social media praising the corporate giant), it didn’t completely persuade all. But it didn’t ultimately matter as the company is valued at over $60 billion and counting, with an active 88 million users. It emphasizes the concerns of purchase power.

I don’t fault those who shop at places like Shein, Temu or Zara.

They are affordable options in place of more high-end brands , but the problem arises when buyers continue to feed into the harmful cycles of overconsumption by continuously buying products beyond their needs. It further feeds into this idea of keeping up with your “favs” by imitating a lifestyle or aesthetic we see or want to obtain, even if it’s above our means.

What really was the tip of the iceberg was seeing the commotion that circulated the Stanley Cup. I was so excited to see people finally lessening their plastic usage by purchasing a reusable cup with a straw, but the product meant to promote sustainability quickly turned into a symbol of status and exclusivity. With many users of various social media apps revealing a collection of cups — with one user proudly owning 40 cups for herself (at $45+ each) — accompanied with unnecessary accessories such as charms, cup sleeves, monogrammed lid caps, and even cup jackets… yes… a jacket for your Stanley if you wish. It was becoming eerily dystopian.

But wait there’s more…

With the prevalence that surrounds these cups there has been content curated for these fanatics such as videos like “Make my water with me” and “water recipes” — an entire side of TikTok that directs viewers to an array of products that you can add to your water, and this, folks, is what sunk the iceberg for me.

Specialty ice, ice trays, glitter packets, syrups, flavored packets, and whatever your heart desires can be used to enhance your water experience?

This is an example of excessiveness, and slowly but surely contributes to mass waste. We truly have to take a step back and realize that influencer culture only benefits the influencer. Every time you use your ability to purchase something you’re generating pollution and emitting greenhouse gasses. That’s how powerful the “buy” button is, and is the sacrifice for glittery water truly worth it?

If you’re on any social media apps, I recommend finding some “de-influencers” who really prick you into a state of realization when it comes to engaging in buying goods.

There has to be a fine line between pampering ourselves — which is well-deserved for everyone once in a while — and being on the verge of being classified as wasteful or as a hoarder.

Even environmental efforts such as thrifting, are also being impacted by zealous consumerism with resellers hiking the prices of clothing — and putting money back into the hands of these large corporations who are able to mass-produce and sell items at a cheaper cost. It also relates to ethics, as this social “need” to constantly be stylish or stay ahead of the trends, creates a market for resellers to thrive in. Unfortunately, it leaves limited options for the less-fortunate to acquire clothing.

This avaricious ideology has been supported throughout time, as a surplus of “things” are often associated with your character and successes. But it’s leading to greed, and that greed is leading to destruction, and eventually will lead to an uninhabitable world!

Doing your due diligence on researching who shop with, how you consume, and why you purchase will allow you to gain some introspective on how you’re contributing to the environmental plight we’re all facing. If we do our parts respectively and collectively, we can truly create change. Start small and end big!

For resources regarding the climate crisis, you can check out the websites below.

sentientmedia.org studentbriefs.law.gwu.edu worldwildlife.org nature.org new.climate.colombia.edu

A.I. ANTI-HERO

Words by Carmen Macri

Artificial intelligence seems scary, does it not? We grew up on movies that warned humanity about the radical evolution of AI.

“The Terminator,” “Ex Machina,” “I, Robot,” “I Am Mother,” “The Matrix …” I think you get the point. So it comes as no surprise that with the sudden rapid advancement of artificial intelligence in our day-to-day lives, some people don’t seem too keen on the idea.

The rise of AI technology isn’t sudden. Rather, it has been used for decades in the medical and computer fields, among others. But it’s only recently been readily accessible to the public with self-driving cars, Apple Vision Pro goggles and Chat GPT, for example. For the sake of the article, let’s discuss the pros and the cons of the development of AI technology and what that means for those of us not made of metal.

SELF-DRIVING CARS OR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES (AVS)

PRO:

On the bright side, AVs boast impressive safety features, equipped with advanced sensors and AI algorithms that outpace human drivers in detecting and reacting to obstacles. They also promise increased mobility, particularly for those unable to drive due to age or disability, potentially granting greater independence. AVs’ ability to communicate with each other and traffic infrastructure could

lead to smoother traffic flow and reduced congestion, enhancing overall efficiency — though this would only fully work if everyone on the road were to drive AVs. They hold the potential to curb fuel consumption and emissions, promoting environmental benefits like improved air quality. Seems like wishful thinking right now.

CON:

Technological challenges persist, particularly in ensuring AVs’ reliability in diverse driving conditions. Yet, it’s not just about the tech; ethical quandaries pop up, especially when it comes to making tough decisions in unavoidable accidents. And let’s not forget the potential job displacement looming over the transportation industry as AVs become more mainstream. And with AVs relying heavily on interconnected systems, they’re ripe for cybersecurity threats and privacy breaches. Have you seen the new Julia Roberts movie “Leave the World Behind”? Specifically the Tesla scene? Case in point.

CHAT GPT AND OTHERS LIKE IT

PRO:

Rather than looking at Chatbots like Chat GPT as something that is stealing jobs away from journalists, like myself, or screenwriters, we should be looking at them as tools.

Chatbots are quick and (mostly) efficient and can offer help overcoming the dreaded writer’s block. Its ability to offer diverse perspectives and writing styles can also enrich journalistic pieces and provide writers with fresh ideas and inspiration. It can also be used as a valuable research tool, making the process much quicker. Rather than scouring Google and clicking on multiple links, Chatbots like Chat GPT will do the scouring for you and only relay the necessary information you are seeking.

CON:

You don’t have to pay Chat GPT and Chatbots like it, meaning some businesses would rather save a quick buck, fire their journalists and writers, and only use AI. Cue the writer’s strike of 2023. The issue with only using Chatbots and AI for screenwriting is the lack of personality, originality and overall good writing. It’s why last year so many awful TV shows and movies were released because rather than using full-time screenwriters, production companies would use a crew of “skeleton-writers” to draft a script and then use that draft, plug it into a Chatbot, rework the rest of it and fire the writers. ChatGPT may struggle to grasp the nuances of a given topic or situation, leading to responses that lack relevance or appropriateness. Chat GPT is not always reliable, if you are searching for something before its last update, it will not have up-to-date information.

DEEP FAKES

PRO:

I genuinely can not for the life of me think of a single pro for using or creating a deep fake of a person. It’s unsettling and weird.

CON:

They’re notorious for spreading misinformation and fake news, which can have serious consequences for society. Not only that, but they also pose a threat to individuals’ reputations, as they can be used to depict them engaging in activities they never did. Political manipulation is another concern with deep fakes potentially being used to sway public opinion or discredit politicians. Privacy is a big issue too, as deepfakes can be created without the consent of the individuals depicted, raising serious ethical questions. Overall, the legal and ethical implications of deep fakes are complex and concerning and freaky. The list could go on and on and on and on ...

APPLE VISION PRO

PRO:

Welcome to the era of spatial computing. Apple’s Vision Pro goggles enhance user experience for a multitude of things. It is revolutionizing how users interact with technology. (Though, in my opinion, just use your phone?) It offers hand-free interactions, relying on your eyes and mouth to relay a command.

CON:

Other than looking like a complete and total dweeb, which should be your main reason for not wearing these in public, I just cannot imagine that these are safe for long-wear consumption. Eye strains, headaches and disorientation are written all over it. Not to mention it costs an arm and a leg to buy and some people are not using them responsibly. I’ve seen videos circulating of a person behind the wheel (of an AV, of course) while wearing their VR headset… There is no way that is street-legal.

AI VOICE IMITATING

PRO:

The benefits of AI technology in this context are relatively short. With advancements in AI, it’s now possible to generate new dialogue in a specific voice by using a voice recording of someone speaking. This innovation has found applications in filmmaking, allowing for the recreation of dialogue. When used appropriately by individuals, it can offer a touching opportunity to hear the voice of a passed loved one once again. For avid fans, it provides the chance to hear their favorite artist addressing them personally. However, beyond this short list, the pros end.

CON:

Scammers are now able to record someone’s voice via a short phone call and create intense dialogue used to try and scam money off of unknowing individuals. In a recent article in “The New York Times,” one unlucky victim shares her experience of receiving a phone call late at night from an unknown number. When she answered, it sounded like her mother-in-law pleading for help, that there was a man with a gun demanding money… turns out, her mother-inlaw was perfectly safe in bed, but scammers are now using this technology to an extreme level. This technology can also spread misinformation, fake news and pose a threat to individuals’ reputations — much like a deep fake.

This is just a quick rundown of some of the popular AI technologies out there, and it might be a bit biased. Sure, AI has made significant strides in fields like medicine, healthcare, and technology, among others. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. AI is a bit of an anti-hero —it’s neither inherently good nor bad, just a tool that can be used for both positive and negative purposes. As long as we are smart about it, hopefully, we won’t end up on the big screen.

Meet Motes Militia

Words & photos by Ambar Ramirez

For some, it’s a fear, for others, it’s a way of life. Encompassing approximately 71% of Earth, the ocean extends its salty blue expanse over more than half of our landmass, complete with powerful currents and a myriad of sea creatures. Interestingly, scientists possess more knowledge about space than the liquid mass that envelops our globe. Yet, for surfers worldwide, the ocean isn’t just a vast, obscure expanse; it’s their home.

And for three generations, Motes Militia has been riding Jacksonville’s waves and teaching younger generations how to do the same.

It all began with John (JD) Motes. Born and raised in Miami, Motes grew up along the coast. Going to the beach and seeing surfers was a part of his everyday routine. And before he knew it his friend’s dad would make a surfboard out of plywood, and they would hit the waves. More and more experience in the water led to renting professional boards and a $99 pop out.

We won’t get into all the nitty gritty details of how exactly Motes learned how to surf or how the 1966 film “The Endless Summer” inspired him to take surfing more seriously. But we will get into the details of a moment that would change the trajectory of his life (and Motes Militia) — a notice that he was drafted to go to Vietnam.

“When I was young they had the draft and they had this lottery thing where they put everybody’s birthdays on a number and put them in a basket that they would then draw. My number was 24,” Motes recalled. “So I kind of knew when they drew my number 24 that in a few months I would be called and sure enough, I got the notice in the mail that I was going to be inducted, and I didn’t want to go in the Army because that was an absolute trip to Vietnam.”

In an effort to avoid the trip to Vietnam, Motes sought help from the Coast Guard in Miami who helped him get into the Navy. Following his completion of boot camp and subsequent discharge, Motes found himself stationed in Jacksonville.

“It was perfect because I had the ocean close by and relatives in town,” Motes said. “[My son] Jason came along a couple of years later in ’72, and that’s what set us in motion in Jacksonville.”

Jason recalled learning how to surf as soon as he was able to walk.

“I remember little phases of being a little kid and learning to surf. I remember he [JD] had a long board that he had broken up, glassed it and put a fin on the bottom of it. That was my first surfboard, and I remember that,” he said. “[But] I don’t remember learning how to surf. You know, I’ve just always done it.”

By the age of 3, Jason was surfing and by 5 he was competing in surfing contests. In no time, Jason was East Coast surfing champion with 35 wins under his belt, a two time U.S. surfing champion and 2020’s National Scholastic Surfing Association’s Coach of the Year.

Still, with all that success in competing, Jason went down another route in the surfing community.

“Professionally, surfing is a very hard thing to get into, you know, as far as money and stuff,” Jason said. “But I found a niche locally outside of contests.”

With the beach in their backyard, Jason started teaching his neighbors’ kids how to surf.

“In the water, we’re all equal.”

In the same way that surfing came naturally to Jason, so did coaching. Over time, what began as teaching his neighbors’ kids expanded to include any children interested in surfing. This initiative evolved into what is now known as Motes Militia. A year-round surf camp that teaches kids of all levels how to surf and care for the ocean.

“There weren’t a lot of surf coaches back then,” Jason recalled. “And then all of a sudden, you know, it got real popular coaching kids and surf camps and stuff. Luckily, we have grass roots here at this beach community that it’s been very successful as far as people wanting to use our camps for their beginners and then these kids staying with us and moving into our advanced group.”

Along with Motes Militia, Jason also coaches the Eastern Surfing Association’s all-star team which is made up of some of the top surfers on the East Coast.

“Between the local kids and then my East Coast kids,” Jason said, “I’ve just been blessed enough to find a niche.”

Jason, JD, Jason’s son Josh and their team are not just coaching young surfers (groms) but are instilling skills acquired in the water that can be seamlessly applied to various aspects of their lives.

“We’ve had several kids that get out there that don’t want to be because they don’t want any part of it, because of fear,” Jason said. “We get them in the water and get them into a couple waves and the next thing you know, you can’t get them out of the water. That moment right there could change that child’s life forever. The way he approaches confidence, all kinds of different situations, not just surfing.”

Motes Militia is a family affair and any kid who decides they want to join the camp, innately becomes a part of the family.

“It’s just amazing because I care about all of them. Every kid that’s there, they’re family,” Jason said.

For more information or to register, check out motesmilitia.com.

MARCH

21 AIR SUPPLY

22 TOM PAPA PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL

22 LITTLE RIVER BAND WITH THE JACKSONVILLE ROCK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

23 HOTEL CALIFORNIA: A SALUTE TO THE EAGLES

24 DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD LIVE

26 JOE SATRIANI & STEVE VAI

28 NEIL DIAMOND CELEBRATION

30 JOEY FATONE & AJ MCLEAN: A LEGENDARY NIGHT

APRIL

2 THE JUNGLE BOOK FOR SCHOOLS

3 ASHLEY MCBRYDE - WITH SPECIAL GUEST MEG MCREE

4 SWAN LAKE

5 SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX

6 ORCHESTRA NOIR

7 THE CLASSIC ROCK SHOW

11 THE GUESS WHO

12 ETTA MAY AND THE SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKS

13 THERESA CAPUTO

15 ROSIE REVERE, ENGINEER & FRIENDS FOR SCHOOLS

16 BRIT FLOYD

17 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

18 DON FELDER FORMERLY OF THE EAGLES WITH SPECIAL GUEST PABLO CRUISE & FIREFALL

20 THE FLAMING LIPS

21 AMY GRANT

22 LEONID & FRIENDS

24 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SERIAL KILLERS

25 HANNAH BERNER

27 YELLOW BRICK ROAD – A TRIBUTE TO ELTON JOHN

MAY

3

29

31

4 CELTIC THRONE

7 ALI SIDDIQ

21

22

8 ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN

Weird Wild Stuff

Words by Shelton Hull

The late great gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson was one of the most influential men to ever do The Job. He, along with folks like Nat Hentoff, Norman Mailer, Charles Bukowski, Studs Terkel and Tom Wolfe, were crucial to the development of “Alternative Newsmedia,” of which “Folio” is one of the most prominent examples still extant. He was famously dismissive of “Objective Journalism,” which he considered incompatible with the human animal. “Don’t bother to look for it here,” he said, “not under any byline of mine; or anyone else I can think of. With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.”

That quote has started more fights than both Paul brothers, combined. But the point was simply to note that this column is clearly biased in the direction of good, clean fun. One category that always leaps to the forefront — in this case, literally — is when things spill out of trucks onto roads and especially highways. That can be lethally dangerous, but as long as no one is seriously hurt, it’s fair game for this column. Case in point:

The first thing you do after a large spill is call the police. But what do you do when it is the police that have been spilled? Drivers in downtown Cleveland were faced with this dilemma on March 2, when two police horses were spotted trotting against traffic on the I-90 for a few minutes. It took some finagling, but eventually both horses were successfully induced to giddyap. For all we know, the horses probably thought they were working.

Speaking of animals — but maybe we shouldn’t — here’s an update on a story we all cringed at together a few months ago: A professor at Penn State (whose name we’re omitting because, well, you’ll see) was already facing multiple charges, including indecent exposure, open lewdness and animal cruelty after he was caught having sex with a dog on video in a public park, an act caught on park surveillance cameras. (And before you ask: It was a border collie and yes, that is a relevant detail.) The initial charges were filed in June, and more have been added after — oh no — more evidence surfaced. What evidence, you ask? Why, 55 cell phone videos showing more of the same — a whole lot more. What is he doing? He is doing EVERYTHING.

We’ll spare you the gory details, but just know that it involves a ski mask, a glass picnic table, a Tootsie Pop and the control handle of a DCNR John Deere crawler, all of which were ruined. No wonder he begged the police to shoot him during the initial arrest. A lot of you probably feel the same way, after reading that.

Insurance fraud is bad, but it can also be hilarious. For example: A woman in County Claire, Ireland won over $800,000 after she was rear-ended in 2017, allegedly causing pain that left her unable to work. Turns out, she could work — the system, that is. Alas, the lass was thwarted, and her payout duly shorted, when the media reported that she’d won a Christmas tree throwing competition a year after the accident. She didn’t even get to keep the tree!

NASCAR was famously born of moonshiners outrunning the authorities, and that spirit of shenanigans remains part of the culture, to this day. Few sports embrace cheating quite like they do, but star driver Joey Logano went to ridiculous extremes during a recent race in Atlanta. He used a special aerodynamic glove that allowed him to reduce wind drag just slightly by putting his hand out the window. It apparently worked, as Logano won the pole position (given for fastest time in qualifying) in two out of his last three races. He was fined $10,000, but I’m sure the other drivers covered his bar tab that weekend.

Speaking of speed, airplanes are really fast, and sometimes they’re even faster. Record-high winds in the northeast peaked out at 265 mph in late February, and these winds caused at least four different commercial jetliners to accidentally break the speed of sound, which is 767 mph. The increase in speed might not have been noticeable to the passengers, but the pilots would be firmly aware. In most cases, that would be their only experience going that fast, unless they had some experience flying military fighters. (The only commercial jet that could reliably go that fast was the old Condorde, which was the symbol of luxury from 1969 to 2003, going from New York to London in under 3 hours, less than half the normal time. It reached a top speed of 1,350 mph, with only three accidents out of nearly 50,000 flights among the 20 planes.)

THE SEXTORTION

EVERYTHING YOU NEED

Words by Mallory Pace

We know the Internet is a dangerous place, but it’s not just cyberbullying we need to fear anymore. A new type of sexual assault is on the rise, one that takes place behind a screen, pushing victims into a helpless corner as they’re blackmailed and isolated. The abuse is circled around scare tactics and is dependent on young and vulnerable children who will be too afraid to ask for help, forcing them to comply with what’s demanded of them. It’s a crime that children and parents need to be aware of to see the signs, know how to ask for help and start to open up communication should this happen to you or a loved one.

Sextortion is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to distribute another person’s private or sensitive materials if they do not give them what they ask for. In some cases, that could be videos or images of a sexual nature, sexual favors or most commonly, money, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In Dec. 2022, the FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, issued a national public safety alert about the increase of sextortion cases. In 2022 alone, law enforcement received over 7,000 reports of financial sextortion of minors, resulting in more than 3,000 victims, according to an FBI press release. More than a dozen resulted in a suicide because of it.

Cases of sextortion vary, but commonly, perpetrators will make contact with a victim via social media

or online gaming and discourse sites and take on a persona. Most likely they’ll appear as someone the same age as the victim and attempt to form a relationship and earn their trust until they have convinced them to send explicit material of themself and then use that as blackmail. In other cases, a perpetrator might make contact and immediately begin threatening a victim, in hopes they’ll take the bait. The threats can feel so real, even if the offender doesn’t provide proof, that they may just assume to take this person seriously in case they really do have their private material. The scammer might demand more photos of the victim or else they’ll release the ones they have to friends, family or onto social media.

Chief Francis Mackesy of the University of North Florida Police Department has seen only a handful of cases related to sextortion on campus, most of which follow suit with what is most commonly seen. Predominantly, a student meets someone online, thinks there’s a relationship forming, some trust is built and the student sends an explicit image or something of that nature. Then the blackmail begins.

“We’ve had a couple of students conned out of a few thousand dollars,” Mackesy said. “In anybody’s world, that’s a lot of money, but in a student’s world… that’s a lot of money.”

Mackesy became the director of the University of North Florida’s police and public safety department after retiring from his 32-year career with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. In most cases he’s seen, the victim had notified the university police once they realized something was wrong. However, he explained, the ones who do pay the demanded ransom may find themselves out of luck.

“The ones that actually pay the money, they’re kind of out of luck because when we try to backtrack to that IP address, it’s been bounced all over the world 100, 200 times,” Mackesy said. “There’s no way we will ever find out where that came from.”

Sextortion is a very difficult crime to solve, he explained, especially with the more sophisticated scammers who know what they’re doing and how to get away with it. He recalled one case from a few years ago related to online scamming and their investigation led them back to over 700 different IP addresses, making it virtually impossible to track down the scammer. That’s part of what makes this crime so dangerous — the Internet is vast, it’s forever. Identities and people aren’t who they claim to be, and if you trust the wrong person, the consequences can be dire.

Chris Hughes, hotline director for the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), explained there could be several reasons for why extortion cases are on the

OF MINORS:

NEED TO KNOW

rise. For one, children’s lives are moving more and more online either for education, socialization or hobbies, which increases their exposure to online predators. Further, the rise of financial sextortion may indicate that more organized criminals have seen an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable children for financial gain, Hughes said via email. IWF is a UK-based charity and the largest hotline in Europe dedicated to finding and removing child sexual abuse material from the internet.

“Anyone can be affected by sexual extortion online, and it can take many different forms,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be financial blackmail. Offenders can also demand more sexually explicit images from their victims in exchange for not sharing the original captured image. Anyone could be an offender — this includes peers who bully others into sharing explicit images.”

VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS AND STATISTICS

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the nation’s largest and most influential child protection organization. Through their CyberTipline, they have been tracking the rise of sextortion reports since 2013, and cases have only gone up since. In 2023, the tipline received 186,819 reports of online enticement, the category that includes sextortion. The number of online enticement reports increased by 323% between 2021 and 2023, according to NCMEC’s website.

From Oct. 2021 to Mar. 2023, the FBI received over

13,000 reports of online financial sextortion, a large portion of which were male victims between 14 to 17 years old, but any child can be a victim, an FBI press release stated.

One major difference between the age of a targeted victim appears to boil down to whether an offender is seeking a financial ransom or sexual gratification. In the cases where a predator is targeting someone especially young, perhaps 10 to 15 years old, they may not be looking for a buyout because they know someone that young won’t pay up. Instead, it may be more about pedophilia or the explicit content itself. On the other hand, those a little bit older may be targeted for money.

In 2015, the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire partnered with Thorn, an anti-human trafficking organization and conducted a survey to better understand the crime of sextortion. Over 1,600 victims, ages 18-25, responded to the survey, although 47% said their sextortion experience occurred before they were 18. Approximately 60% reported knowing the person making the threats in real life. In these cases, the perpetrator frequently sought to pressure the victim into returning to a relationship or aiming to humiliate them, the report reads. The other 40% only knew the person threatening them online. The survey found that 45% of perpetrators carried out their threats, meanwhile 1 in 3 victims reported they did not talk about their abuse with anyone. They conducted another survey in 2017, opening up the ages to 13-25 years old and found that nearly 1 in 4

victims were 13 or younger when they experienced sextortion.

Sextortion isn’t a new crime, but the dramatic uptick law enforcement has seen in recent years is alarming. According to IWF’s website, in the first six months of 2023, the charity received more reports involving sextortion than in the entirety of 2022. Their reports show that older teenagers, ages 14-17, are the most at risk, especially boys.

“Any child that has access to a device with a web-enabled camera could be a victim of sexual abuse. Modern technology allows sexual predators into your home,” Hughes said. “Parents and carers should talk openly to children about the risks online and take steps to discuss what safety measures their children are using on their devices.”

CASES OF SEXTORTION

A podcast episode by Crime Junkie detailed two cases of sextortion victims, highlighting the dangers of this type of crime and the importance of awareness. In December 2022, 16-year-old Walker Montgomery was found dead in his bedroom after taking his own life. As the police began investigating, they found Instagram messages between Walker and another user sharing explicit videos of each other, until they started blackmailing Walker and demanding $1,000. The FBI is brought into the case, who discovered that the sextortion that resulted in Walker’s death occurred over just three or four hours the night he died by suicide.

The user appeared as an attractive girl similar in age to Walker and after chatting for a bit, the user convinced Walker to video chat and perform mutual sex acts. The “girl” was actually a criminal group in Nigeria using a fake video and secretly recording the video call. Once it was over, they immediately began demanding the money or else they would share the video with all of his Instagram contacts. He begs and pleads but they don’t let up; he tells them he’s going to end his own life and they tell him to go ahead because his life’s already over, the podcast said. The sextortionists never shared the video with anyone.

In a disturbingly similar case, 17-year-old Jordan DeMay died by suicide as a result of sextortion. Like Walker, Jordan was communicating with who he believed to be a girl about his age over Instagram when the conversation turned into requests for explicit images, according to an article from the Associated Press. After sharing images, the other user began demanding money or Jordan’s images would be shared publicly.

When Jordan explained he couldn’t provide payment, the perpetrator pushed him to kill himself. Similar to Walker’s case, the user pretending to be a young girl turned out to be two brothers from Nigeria, according to the FBI. They are currently being tried in a court of law but have pleaded not guilty.

Part of what prevents this crime from being reported is the fear of victim blaming. Admitting a situation like this is imaginably terrifying, but what the blackmailer is doing is worse, and the quicker victims ask for help, the quicker it can be resolved. Parents can support their child without blaming them, Hughes said. He advised parents to engage in peaceful and honest conversation about this crime and reassure their child that there will be no punishment.

“Children are not at fault. They are innocent victims of callous and vindictive sexual predators,” Hughes said.

AI AND SEXTORTION

We all know what artificial intelligence can do, and we’re starting to see its limitless boundaries, even its role in committing crimes. Advanced AI technologies are making it easier for criminals to extort victims by creating or changing innocent photos of victims to appear as fake sexual material. By taking a normal picture from someone’s social media account, virtually anyone can use an AI program to make it appear as something it’s not and then use that to blackmail victims.

In late January, obscene, AI-generated images of Taylor Swift began circulating on X (formerly Twitter). She is reportedly preparing to take legal action against distributors of these deep-fake images, but this case highlights the very real danger of nonconsensual, AI-generated images and the need for legal preventative action. In response to the incident with Swift, a group of senators introduced a bill that would criminalize the spread of nonconsensual, sexual images generated by AI, according to an article from “The Guardian.” Currently, there are no federal laws against disseminating such content. Although creating such content is technically legal, blackmailing and sextortion is not.

SEEING SIGNS & ASKING FOR HELP

Whether you’re a parent or child, it’s crucial to be aware of signs that indicate a sextortion crime may be occurring. During the 2022 Human Trafficking Summit, the Department of Children and Families provided several tips for parents and guardians on protecting their children from becoming victims of sextortion. First, be aware of your child’s online activity. That might not sound easy, but monitor their social media use and clarify that once something is sent on the Internet, it never goes away.

In this digital age, online relationships are increasingly common. According to Thorn’s 2022 report on online grooming, they found that 1 in 3 minors reported meeting some of their closest friends online. Similarly, 1 in 7 minors reported sharing something they’ve never shared before with an online friend. Telling young people not to engage in online relationships is like teaching abstinence — it’s not a practical solution in the world we live in today. But like having sex, there are consequences to be aware of.

If you’re going to engage in an online relationship and potentially exchange sensitive materials, you must also prepare for the consequences.

Education and awareness is at the forefront of preventing this crime from happening to you. The NCMEC website lists a few red flags to look out for.

Those involved in the sextortion of children often:

• approach a child on social media after using it to learn about the child’s interests, friends, school, family, etc.

• move quickly and ask for nudes immediately after following or friending a child on a social media platform.

• intentionally move their communications with the child from one online platform to another (e.g., moving from social media to private video chat or messaging apps).

They also list common tactics offenders may use to coerce a child, including reciprocation — “I’ll show you, if you show me.” They may pose as a modeling agency to obtain sexual images or falsely promise things of value like gift cards, money and more. The organization also advises people to get help before deciding to comply with the blackmailer and reminds people that complying rarely stops the blackmail. Report the account and block the suspect, but do not delete your profile or messages because they could be used to help track down the perpetrator.

Parents and children alike, don’t assume something like this wouldn’t or couldn’t happen to you or your child. Although certain demographics appear more targeted, anyone active on social media is at risk. That’s where opening up a two-way street communication comes in. It’s crucial to relay to children how to ask for help and that they should do so even in uncomfortable situations like these. The FBI website’s section on sextortion offers parents and guardians useful talking points to use with their children and young people. It also lists several tips for young people to consider on how to protect themselves and their friends, including advice like be suspicious, be in the know and be willing to ask for help. That information, and more, can be found here: bit.ly/sextortionFBI.

NCMEC has several resources that can try to help you take down online explicit material of yourself. If you don’t have a trusted adult to ask for help, visit cybertipline.org for help with the process or call 800-THE-LOST for support. INHOPE is a global network of 54 member hotlines focused on fighting against child sexual abuse material. Their website lists multiple resources, tiplines and other useful information on how to report a sextortion case. There are dozens of organizations and resources available to victims of online sex abuse. The University of North Florida alone offers many different avenues for those seeking help and there are crisis centers and international online groups dedicated to helping victims.

“There’s not a single crime out there worth taking your life,” Mackesy said. “Just take a deep breath, reach out to the professionals, let them point [victims] in the right direction. The resources are out there that can help them through the crisis. Any victims advocate or police officer, they’ll all do everything within their power to get that person through the crisis.”

Until further solutions are strictly implemented, like government regulations on social media for protecting users, education and awareness is the first priority. Be wary and skeptical of who you choose to talk to online. Assume the worst. But if you, your child, a friend or a loved one ever finds themself in this situation, know you’re not alone, far from it.

NOT CHANGE BUT IMPACT

Words & photo by Jillian Lombardo

Did you know Jacksonville has a rich history of women leaders? Starting with the creation of the MOCA 100 years ago, Rose Tharpe, Louese Washburn, and Edith Harrison broke the social norms at the time to create a women’s club in Jacksonville to help raise money for education and the arts. On March 17th, 1924, the Jacksonville Art Society was founded. This brought modern art to the South, bringing about 65 artists into the space, most of whom were women. The goals from the past that echo into the future are to unite art with education and community building.

The Ideas of Our Time lecture hosted at the MOCA brought in many influential women from our community: Caitlín Doherty, Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Diana Donovan and Rev. Kimberly Hyatt. Each woman positively impacts society and the arts. Following in the footsteps of women before them, they are fighting for our right to have the arts in schools and the community.

Inspired by those they can make this better for, each woman recognized the youth as their motivation for what they do. Doherty expressed that when children can create, it changes them. The arts help kids find their voice. Brownlee believed that you never know what art piece will spark inspiration or a passion inside a young mind. Doherty mentioned a moment she holds dear as a tribute to her work. She led a field trip in Ireland with a group of 3- to 4-year-olds. They stopped in front of an abstract picture of a road leading to somewhere. Doherty asked the children where they believed the path leads. Many said ice cream or Disneyland, but one boy in particular said it led to his grandfather. Doherty later learned that this boy had lost his grandfather about a year prior and hadn’t spoken until that day. The power of art was monumental at that moment.

Do you remember your first field trip, or any field trip, for that matter? The anticipation the night before, the boisterous bus ride to the destination, and the inspiration from whatever you may come face to face with. This simple act becomes the exposure needed to plant an inspirational seed in the minds of the youth. Doherty, a speaker on the panel and director of the MOCA Jacksonville, spoke of a donor who had entered a museum when they were 10. Years later, they still vividly remember the museum’s impact on them and continue to this day. The donor wanted to give another child an experience with art in the community. The exposure to the arts as a child is instrumental to building a gateway into future artistic endeavors. According to Rev. Hyatt, nearly 71% of adults today attend the museum or theater for the first time because their kids dragged them.

It is crucial to see the arts as equal to math and reading. While the arts are the first to go during a financial crisis, they need to be seen as something easy to access rather than another thing to fit into the schedule. It is critical to embed the arts in the community through representation, education and collaboration. One example of this is the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville sponsorship of art bikes which created a new realm of possibility for the community. Jesse, a local Filipino artist, was commissioned to paint a bike to represent her culture. This representation of culture showed those with the same ancestry that they have a community within a new community. A family from the Philippines decided to move to Jacksonville after seeing the representation of their culture and, in turn, learning there was a large population of their culture in Jacksonville. Representation matters for the quality of life. Accessibility, showing up and changing the narrative were strong talking points among these women.

19 YEARS SUPPORTING NFAN MARY H. LEWIS FOOD PANTRY

Donovan expressed how there is never enough funding for the arts and culture. Until this year, just $2.25 million went to 35 organizations for operational costs. Donovan and her team now secured with a $3 million increase for the arts and culture non-profits in greater Jacksonville. Her team has seen the need in Jacksonville and wants to meet the need in real-time, not change but impact. As the executive director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, she strives to continue to find ways to elevate the community. Donovan often noted throughout the lecture that unrestricted funding for the arts would drastically change organizations focused on creating cultural experiences for the city. Offering unrestricted financing would allow the organization to concentrate on the overall mission instead of having specific use spending. It’s important to note that each of the speakers acknowledged the back-and-forth momentum in the arts community. They described it as a lot of work going nowhere — the dreaded almost. Now, there’s a shift.

“We need to change the narrative. So when I think of working with companies in Jacksonville … I haven’t said I need you to support me in this project,” Doherty said in the conversation about the arts in the community. “I have been saying, and genuinely saying, that I am trying to contribute and build to the community where you are also invested. I can help you achieve what you want through the lens of arts and culture. Let me help you achieve what you want. You’re no longer a draw; suddenly, you’re a resource.”

If you want to support the arts and culture in your community, simply show up. Show up when you’re not expected, show up deliberately, and encourage others to show up. Show up alone, in a group, with your coworkers. Experience art; experience it in its entirety. Experience it alone. Experience it with friends. Be vocal champs for the arts and its importance in the community. Hyatt shared how she visited a school with over 100 languages spoken within it. Their largest class was music because even though students spoke different languages, they could all communicate as one through the arts. Hyatt also referred to a recent National Endowment of Arts function, where participants were told if anyone cares to visit a place doing it right, “Jacksonville is doing it right.”

The arts bloom out-of-the-box thinking. They heal and connect. They promote place-making and place-keeping. The arts demonstrate value, and their access is essential to a community. If we can look at ancient art to decipher what life was like, why not pay attention to modern art, which shows the life we lead to future generations?

To continue to be contributors in our communities arts and culture, keep an eye out for the monthly art walks in Downtown Jacksonville, as well as the MOCA’s 100 year anniversary exhibits and the Cummer Museum of Art & Garden’s exhibit “Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960” through May 19, 2024 .

HARMONIZING JACKSONVILLE: RTEAM’S ARTISTIC ALCHEMY IN EVENT PRODUCTION

Words by Carmen Macri

Have you ever wondered about the inner workings behind the scenes of Jacksonville’s beloved festivals? Who might be the mastermind behind the curtains? When it comes to events like Florida Fin Fest, we simply stroll in and soak up the music, the food, the art and the learning experiences. But let’s not be fooled — while it may appear seamless, these festivals don’t materialize overnight. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team pours their hearts and souls into ensuring Jacksonville’s entertainment scene thrives for everyone’s delight.

One man, in particular, is Niko Costas, founder and CEO of Real Time Entertainment and Management — RTEAM for short. At the heart of RTEAM lies talent buying — the meticulous process of sourcing bands for the venues they represent and the events they curate. RTEAM also focuses on event production (their events as well as others), they facilitate event production by managing audio and video requirements, festival finances, permit acquisition, staffing and vendor contracts all while building up artists relations.

RTEAM sprang into existence as a solution for their college band, Side Reel, to gain credibility at the local bars. Naturally, a group of college kids attempting to secure gigs at event spaces wasn’t met with much seriousness. That’s when Costas took matters into his own hands, deciding to launch his own entertainment management company and stepping into the role of manager for a few years to establish the band’s credibility. They landed gigs at places like Lynch’s Irish Pub, who they still do business with today.

“I was going to school for event management, so it kind of always naturally tied in and we began to kind of build up our portfolio of clients,” Costas shared. “We wanted to bring more interesting music to Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, not the same kind of bands that were here locally, but we got all these bands that are touring through that would love to stop now.”

Fast forward a few years, RTEAM was focusing less on the entertainment management aspect and decided to dive head first into festival production and talent buying – and Jacksonville thanks them greatly for it. A few years ago, Costas and his team were entirely too fed up with how little our city knew about ocean conservation. Being a coastal town and all, you would assume that would be second nature to us, but it turns out, it wasn’t. So RTEAM decided to create a festival that is equally entertaining as it is educational — Florida Fin Fest — and the festival blew up. Who doesn’t love a free music festival with food trucks and an entire ocean education village? No brainer.

“How can we combine that [entertaining people] with doing good and serving our communities?” Costas explained. “Something that we were passionate about was ocean conservation and sustainability. We grew up here in Jacksonville. We spent a lot of time in the ocean surfing, on the river paddle boarding and just interacting with our local waterways. We said, ‘You know what? Let’s find a way that we can help make sure that people know how to protect those and even give back to those areas.’”

RTEAM saw a niche opening in a space where big corporations were booking talent but had no one to service these specific parts of a large-scale event in the corporate world. Costas saw this as an opportunity to grow and expand RTEAM.

“We’ve started to dive really into that as well, for example, like Jaguar Land Rover, a huge pillar of their Defender brand, is music,” Costas shared. “So we work with their agency that produces events for them to now help book all the talent and run the kind of the entertainment side of their festival that they produce as a brand.”

Costas and his team coined the term “rockstar aspirin” when referring to what they do as a company. They work behind the scenes with the groundwork and scouting and hiring the talent for these larger festivals. Anything to make the event run as smoothly as possible. They have landed themselves talent buying for Virgin Voyages, Range Rover House, Destination Defender New York and Texas, and the Taco and Tequila Festival.

“So we procure all the entertainment and then we manage everything from the stage backwards,” Costas explained. “We’re booking the talent, we’re managing the hospitality, we’re helping with ground transportation and all the logistics, really anything that’s related to the performance itself.”

Since the inception of Florida Fin Fest, RTEAM has wasted no time popping up or sourcing talent for festivals throughout Jacksonville — and across the globe. Their goal is to activate underutilized areas and keep the concert experience fresh and interesting. Next month, they’re rolling out their latest project: the River City Railway Concert Series. I’ll admit, before our chat, I was in the dark about what the Railway entailed. I had this image of a shabby old railroad in mind, but… clearly, that was not the case.

If you’re in the dark about it like I was, let me clue you in, River City Railway is a sweet hospitality spot right in the Sports Complex near Downtown Jacksonville. The lot is made up of 25 individual railcars each offering a private and exclusive spot for parties, pre-games or even just chilling after a game or a night on the town. And now? It’s the prime location for Jacksonville’s newest local festival.

“We all love going to, you know, the St Augustine Amphitheatre, Daily’s Place, like the great staple venues,” Costas shared. “But for us, we want to create something that’s more of an experience with the music versus it just being a concert that you go to.”

RTEAM’s primary objective is to breathe vibrancy into various corners of our city and beyond through music and entertainment. In addition to Florida Fin Fest, the River City Railway Concert Series and Woodstock at Canine Social (a dog-friendly festival), RTEAM is actively involved in several other upcoming local events worth noting. Keep an eye out for the upcoming collaborations with 904 Happy Hour like Brunch Fest at the Riverside Arts Market and Duval De Mayo.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NIKO COSTAS FROM RTEAM

Your unique life, planned.

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FOMO AND COMPARISON

Mental states that have destroyed my sense of gratitude

Words by Briana Pereira

In a world that is more connected than ever through technology and social media, we are bound to see glimpses into the “perfect” lives of others. This has created an increasing psychological phenomenon in society known as “FOMO,” or the fear of missing out.

FOMO, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is defined as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website” or, in simpler terms, feeling left out. This emotion stems from a sense of being left behind and not measuring up to others’ standards, which are often fueled by comparison and the desire for validation, pressures of which have only skyrocketed since the creation of social media (although I personally feel that FOMO can occur offline just as easily). Trying to juggle the demands that come with the independence of adulthood and the desires accompanied with being a young adult who craves the excitement of life, I don’t think my FOMO has ever been more serious. Almost every day I find myself living a double life — in the morning fulfilling all of my responsibilities but the minute someone asks to hang out or I feel the slightest bit burnt out, I’m ready for something stimulating. Like seriously, I feel like Hannah Montana with the way I’m trying to have the best of both worlds 24/7! I’m constantly trying to find time to fit in every event and every responsibility even if it means sacrificing my sanity for a little because that means I don’t miss out, and I don’t have to worry about who I missed, what I missed, and all the fun that would be happening without my presence, at that isn’t an attempt to boost my ego either. But the reality of living like this is it sucks, and frankly I’m so exhausted.

Understanding FOMO, means understanding that it is 100% something psychological and to understand it fully, one must delve into its underlying mechanisms. At its core, FOMO is driven by several factors, including social comparison, uncertainty, feeling left behind, and the fear of regret. The social comparison theory is based on the concept that individuals determine their own worth based on how they measure up against others. In the age of social media, where carefully curated images of others’ lives are readily accessible, people are constantly comparing themselves to their peers, leading to feelings of inadequacy or inferiority. Our online lives are only a fraction of the deep waters in which we truly exist.

And although we are stuck living in an age where everyone seems to be doing everything all of the time, it’s important to think of ways to mitigate the impacts of FOMO:

Limit social media consumption: This one might be difficult at first, especially with how digitized our lives have become, but recognizing that social media often presents a distorted view of reality and considering limiting your time spent scrolling through feeds might be one of the most impactful solutions. Set boundaries for yourself and prioritize activities that bring genuine joy and fulfillment. If you find yourself feeling unfulfilled after using an app, then why even use it? Two of my best friends actually deleted their Snapchats last March following Spring Break because seeing what everyone else was doing while they were hard at work left them feeling bad, and they decided to choose their happiness rather than force-feeding themselves to watch the unrealistic and romanticized lives of others.

Practice mindfulness and cultivate gratitude: Engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation or deep breathing exercises to ground yourself in the present moment. Focus on appreciating what you have rather than fixating on what you may be missing out on. Think about the good and successes in your own life and cultivate a sense of gratitude for the experiences and opportunities that come your way. Keeping a gratitude journal can help shift your focus from what you lack to what you have. This has definitely been something I’ve struggled with recently, but some sayings I love to remind myself of on days when keeping positive seems harder than others, are that rejection is simply redirection: If it’s not this here right now, I know there’s something much better for me to come. Learning to accept that everyone moves on their own timeline and there is no rush to be at a certain milestone by a certain deadline, just because someone else is. Buying a house at 30 versus buying a house at 40, for example: in both storylines you still end up with the house and until then, appreciating the living conditions that you are lucky to have a roof over your head.

Set realistic expectations and seek meaningful connections: Remind yourself that it’s impossible to participate in every social event or gathering of friends. Set realistic expectations for yourself and prioritize activities that align with your values and goals. This is a big one for me, and I can talk a little bit more about why I feel FOMO goes beyond social media. I am constantly wanting to be able to do it all, ever since I was in high school I watched someone who would’ve been considered the ultimate “it girl” absolutely thrive at everything she did. Whether it was athletics, academics or extracurricular activities, she managed everything perfectly, and still, she somehow found time to be at every social gathering. It inspired me to say the least, and thus, my battle with FOMO began. When I started college I tried so badly to balance a life just like she did, but soon realized that was not sustainable, and the exception is not the rule. Just because that lifestyle worked well for her doesn’t mean it will for another person. (Nor does it mean she wasn’t burnt out beneath her smile we all saw on the surface.) What’s more valuable is investing in nurturing, meaningful relationships with friends and loved ones, on and offline. Taking time to engage in activities that foster genuine connections and prioritize quality time spent with those who uplift and support you is so much more valuable than trying to fit in multiple, unfulfilling interactions day in and day out.

By understanding the psychology behind FOMO and implementing strategies to cope with it, individuals can cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness and fulfillment, free from the constraints of comparison and fear. Embracing the present moment and celebrating one’s own journey is key to overcoming the pervasive grip of FOMO in today’s digital age. It’s not easy to manage the pressures of adulthood, but choosing the people and things that are investments for your future, rather than temporary gratitude is so valuable. And you’re not alone. Be proud of who you are and all of the things you can and have done. It’s good to have goals and passion for more in life, but don’t let FOMO and comparison be the thief of your joy.

EMOJIPEDIA

Words by Ambar Ramirez and Carmen Macri

AMBAR: Emojis are pretty straightforward, right? Wrong. It has once again come to our attention that a lot of people (mainly those who didn’t grow up with cell phones) are unaware of all the hidden messages with emojis. Think that this �� is just an eggplant emoji or that this �� not. But it’s OK, we are here to help. After reading this article, you’ll rethink every emoji you’ve ever sent.

CARMEN: Sorry to all the parents who have gone through their kids’ messag es thinking they are sending silly little vegetable emojis to their friends … we hate to be the ones to tell you, but they are likely sexting.

AMBAR: Starting with the most obvious, the eggplant. This seemingly inno cent emoji paired with

CARMEN:

AMBAR:

peach means.

CARMEN:

AMBAR:

CARMEN:

peach emoji… I think we can all connect the dots on what that means, right? I don’t need to explicitly write it out, do I? I really don’t want to.

AMBAR:

doesn’t simply mean a trash collector.

CARMEN:

bottom.

AMBAR:

guage continues to evolve?

CARMEN:

brain emoji ( to do with someone being smart or saying something intelligent. No. I wish it did. It unfortunately refers to oral sex – “giving brain” which is slang for “giv ing head” which is slang for a blow job.

AMBAR: is a request for “noods.” You would then reply with

CARMEN: A classic. Another classic? ❄ ❄ The snowflake emoji. No, it does not refer to the weather, and it does not refer to someone being chilly. It actually means cocaine. If someone is sending the snowflake emoji, they are usually looking for some of that booger sugar.

AMBAR: while on the topic of drugs, can you guess what this emoji means �� ? That’s right, marijuana. That emoji paired with �� refers to smoking weed. Easy.

CARMEN: This next one is super clever and creative. �� The corn emoji. Can we guess what it stands for? It’s really complicated.

AMBAR: Does it mean someone is being corny?

CARMEN: So close! It actually stands for porn.

AMBAR: Makes so much sense.

CARMEN: OK, now let’s get into the more innocent ones. All this talk of sex and drugs is making me want to go to Miami.

AMBAR: All right, rapid fire. �� — lying, referring to someone being “cap.”

CARMEN: �� The ghost emoji is pretty self-explanatory. Someone just got dumped with no explanation. They got “ghosted.”

AMBAR: �� The clown emoji is typically used when someone gets caught making a mistake or my personal favorite, when someone (me) is feeling like a fraud.

CARMEN: ���� — Shy or nervous, usually in the context of flirting.

AMBAR: This cheeky upside-down smile ‍ is used to express annoyance about something … or someone.

CARMEN: This one is my personal favorite and really only blew up within the last year on TikTok. I have no idea where it came from or why it means what it does, but ��‍️✨ — Can be used in comments to denote a sarcastic mean-spirited tone. You will usually see it paired with a comment saying something like “delete this!” or “should’ve stayed in the drafts!” Makes me cackle every single time.

AMBAR: The fun thing about emojis is that they can have double meanings. For example, the nail polish emoji �� refers to someone who is gay or someone that people think might be gay (i.e., Shawn Mendes’ comment section). But I usually use it to mean I’m unbothered.

CARMEN: The plug emoji �� usually refers to someone being a drug dealer. Being the “plug” for drugs.

AMBAR: Now that we have probably incriminated most kids, we’ll end this lesson here.

CARMEN: Cheers! ��

Annabella suffered a meniscus tear but thanks to Injury Care Centers & our Biotarget Therapy she was back on the field in only 3 weeks.

dear dumbs

Dear Dumbs,

Please be gentle with me. I just reread my email and I sound like an idiot.

I’m in love with my best friend. His name is Scott and he has two beautiful boys. He’s a very good father, but he can’t seem to get a hold of his finances. His friend Mark does his taxes and balances his checkbook. He has severe ADHD, and it comes into play in every aspect of his life.

He and I dated a couple of years ago, but he cheated on me. I stopped talking to him for over a year, and we’ve recently connected again and my feelings are back. The sex is great, but I feel like I’m just being kept around for that. Oh, and that I shower him with gifts. I bought him a new Xbox and TV. He makes way more money than I do, but I got it for him anyway.

Last Friday he went out of town, and I found out that it was a lie. Apparently he went to see a woman he met online. He doesn’t know that I know, and he wants to see me this weekend and I know it’s just for sex.

I don’t know why I love him. The sex is great, but there has to be more than that right, y’all?

Patty B

Mobile, Alabama

TERRY: OH, DEAR LORD!

SHARI: Terry … breathe. I’m a woman. I’m the one who should be screaming here.

TERRY: Well, what are you waiting for?

SHARI: She asked us to be gentle.

TERRY: So.

SHARI: Well Patty, you were 100% correct. You do look like an IDIOT.

TERRY: That’s my girl. More ...

SHARI: This “man” is a jerk.

TERRY: So are you, Patty.

SHARI: Stop it, Terry. Let’s check the score here. Kids, can’t balance a checkbook, cheated on you, cheated on you again, you shower him with gifts and then he gets to have sex with you. I think it’s time for you to read this email a few more times.

TERRY: Ya think?

SHARI: Please, for all the other women in the world, please get as far away from this guy as possible.

TERRY: And get as close as you can to a therapist.

SHARI: Bingo! You have some serious self-worth issues. Use that big heart of yours on yourself before anyone else gets to experience it.

TERRY: Yes! I feel for you. I really do. He’s not a good guy. Period and you deserve better but that won’t happen until you feel that way too.

SHARI: I’ve noticed that people say way too long in these toxic relationships. Who knows for what reasons. But you are in one. It’s time to admit it. It’s OK. You’re not alone here. But maybe it’s time to literally be alone.

48 Off-Broadway award

49 Rocky’s surname

50 Airbnb alternative

51 Akel’s Deli sandwich spec

52 One-eighty

53 “Stick ‘em up!”

55 Speaks indistinctly

56 Some beach fliers

57 ___ Hall University

59 Folio reporters’ inquiries

62 Bout stopper, for short

63 The Players Championship ball prop