Final

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ENTERTAINMENT

THE QUICKIE

HEALTH & FITNESS

SPORTS

Smoking age rises Legal age for purchasing cigarettes raised, inciting outrage in some NY citizens.

Hank Green Eckerd alumnus finds success in vlogging and YouTube.

Tale of a Triton: Morgan Forni

Brush up with make-up Organic cosmetics company proves to have health benefit.

Madison Burr

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Learn about the marine geologist’s research on the effects of the BP Oil Spill to the sediment in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico.

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Senior volleyball player copes with loss of father. page 21

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Vol. 5, Issue 5 Nov. 15, 2013

Construction begins on long-awaited traffic light

By Sam Scales Contributing Writer Construction on the traffic light outside Eckerd College’s campus has finally begun. Trucks carrying the mast poles for the lights have been seen outside campus in recent weeks, as well as crews marking the ground. The construction begins just short of a year after the Nov. 7, 2012, fatal accident that killed Bob Shepherd that was the catalyst for installing the light.

Construction should continue on through the next two to three weeks according to Director of Planning, Development and Construction Bill McKenna, who has been coordinating directly with Florida’s Department of Transportation.

“Right now they’re just waiting on the caissons to secure the foundation,” he said. Caissons are large, cylindrical, concrete structures that will be installed before the light poles are.

The plans for the light involve three poles with lights facing the west and eastbound lanes on 54th Ave. South, as well as a light that faces the Eckerd entrance. The poles will be mounted in the median of the Bayway, and on the side of the road in front of the Maximo Moorings wall.

The only changes to the entrance into Eckerd will be the elimination of the right turn lane that leaves the campus.

“This lane is very dangerous due to the extreme angle that drivers must look back at to see traffic,” Director of Facilities Management Doug Ault said. His department has been overseeing the construction activities in conjunction with the ongoing landscaping efforts at the front of campus.

See TRAFFIC, page 3

photo by Aaron Levy Construction for a stoplight has begun after a community effort in response to Bob Shepherd’s death in 2012 in a fatal car accident.

Divestment club builds cause

Students discuss immigration reform

By Aaron Levy News Editor

By Randi Rogers Contributing Writer

Across the country, university students are urging their schools to discontinue investing in companies they believe are unethical. This practice is called divestment. Presently, 300 such movements exist at American colleges, both big and small.

EC Divest, the club campaigning to “immediately freeze any new investment” in funds that have interests in fossil fuel companies, met with the Board of Trustees Investment Committee Oct. 17. Six members of the club met with trustees to explain their cause and present a petition.

Students urging their college’s endowment to divest is not a new concept. In the 1980s, as noted in EC Divest’s mission statement, divestment campaigns on American college campuses boycotted compaPlease Recycle

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NEWS 2-8

nies doing business in South Africa to raise awareness about apartheid.

“We were able to get 432 student petition signatures for divestment and over 20 faculty member signatures,” Junior and EC Divest member Sarah Sims said. “They basically just signed to say that Eckerd should divest its endowments from corporations that are involved in either the extraction or refining of fossil fuels. We got professors from all different backgrounds.”

This included faculty members from the economics, environmental studies, international relations, psychology and marine science departments.

In a September article for The New York Times on university divestment campaigns, financial writer Randall Smith pointed out that in the 1990s, the target was tobacco companies. Harvard and Stanford both sold their tobacco company

VIEWPOINTS 9-12

stocks during that time period.

In 2013, the target at many campuses is the energy industry. Student-led campaigns across the country, at schools like Duke and Brown, are working to divest from fossil fuel companies.

Members of EC Divest believe they have been successful in getting students and professors from all academic backgrounds to sign the petition that they recently presented to the Investment Committee.

Sims, together with Junior Greg Johnson, Junior Kathleen McLean, Senior Alexis Russell, Senior Laurie Horning and Senior Olivia Cook, met with many members of the Investment Committee including Committee Chair Ian Johnson (‘89), ComSee DIVEST, page 8

Beth-El Farmworker Ministries Operations Manager Javier Izaguirre, previously undocumented student Maria Quezada and Dean of Special Programs Kelly Kirschner met with students to dispel the myths and controversies surrounding modern immigration issues this past month.

Students gathered in the Eckerd Service Learning Office Oct. 22 for the Dine and Discuss event, organized by Senior Kaitlyn Lantz, to speak with the panel.

Izaguirre, the current Comprehensive Immigration Reform Now District 16 coordinator, is a former migrant worker who left the fields at age 23. He has worked with Beth-El Farmworker Ministries for the past 15 years to lend a hand to farmworkers in the Wimauma area

in hopes of helping them achieve self-sufficiency. As the operations manager, he ensures that Beth-El Farmworker Ministries provides what he considers basic necessities, such as soap and toothpaste, to workers and their families.

Quezada, who plans to become a neurosurgeon, came to Florida from Mexico at age nine as a member of one of these migrant families. She came to America with her father, nearly 10 years ago in his pursuit of better pay for electrical engineering and a better education for his children. Quezada graduated high school with CNA and CNAA certificates and a 4.0 GPA only to find herself unable to apply to American colleges because she lacked American citizenship.

Quezada voiced frustrations of being denied the higher education she desired because of

ENTERTAINMENT 13-16 THE QUICKIE 17-18 HEALTH & FITNESS 19-20 SPORTS 21-24

See IMMIGRATION, page 6

The Current is a free, biweekly student newspaper produced at Eckerd College. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers.

2 News

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

LET’S BE BRIEF

By Malena Carollo & Sydney Cavero Editor in Chief, Asst. News Editor

Campus Film Studies launch reception to be held Friday Christina Peterson

Film studies Professors Nathan Anderson and Christina Petersen are inviting all students and faculty to a reception in the lobby of Miller Auditorium on Friday at 6 p.m. Refreshments are courtesy of the International Cinema Series. At 7 p.m., the International Cinema Series will be showing Shohei Imamura’s “Ballad of Narayama” (1983) in 35mm in collaboration with Dr. Eileen Mikals-Adachi, Associate Professor of Japanese, according to an email from Petersen.

The Film Studies major was approved by the Education and Program Policy Committee on Sept.

17 after receiving approval from the College Council last spring. The three core courses for the major are: Elements of Film, a history course such as International or American Cinema and a course in film theory and criticism. Previously, the college only offered a minor in film studies.

Tickets on sale for on-campus Thanksgiving Dean Annarelli

Students wishing to stay on campus for Thanksgiving can attend the annual Thanksgiving Feast hosted by Dean of Students James Annarelli. Held in Fox Hall Nov. 28 at 4 p.m., the event will feature a turkey buffet and traditional sides and viewing of the football game in the pub. For those on the meal plan, the event will be one swipe; for staff, faculty, guests and students not on the meal plan, the dinner will cost $7.50. Tickets can be purchased in the Bon Appetit Dining Services Office in the main cafeteria. Contact Bon Appetit at 727-864-8411.

New online guest registration system now activated Campus Safety Students will now be able to register guests online without having to register them again at the front gate. Campus Safety will be able to access the completed form online and print a pass at the front gate, expediting the process. Guests will still be required to present a government-issued photo ID when they arrive, and will need to keep their ID and visitor identification with them while they are on campus.

Drag Queen Bingo Friday in Fox Hall Palmetto Productions

Palmetto Productions is hosting Drag Queen Bingo on Friday at 10 p.m. in Fox Hall. Professional Drag Queen Megan Towers will be running the bingo game, and there will a drag queen/king contest, according to Mike Geibel, director of concerts for Palmetto Productions. Prizes will be available, as well as food and a full beverage service from Bon Appetit.

Pitchers with Professors Friday at Triton’s Pub ECOS

ECOS’s famous event, Pitchers with Professors, will be happening again on Friday at 4:30 p.m. They will be offering a variety of alcoholic beverages, root beer, a nacho bar as well as gluten free options, according to The Flush. Students are encouraged to invite their professors and must bring two forms of identification in order to receive a wristband.

Local 15 bank robbing spree ends for husband-wife duo Tampa Bay Times

Authorities in Tampa arrested Immanuel Lee Williams and his wife, Cara Lee Williams on Thursday, Nov. 7. after the team allegedly robbed 15 banks across Ala. and Fla. Police located and apprehended the Williams couple with the aid of surveillance cameras, cellphone records and bank deposit records. The two have been on the move since Dec. of 2012 and now await the possibility of federal charges. The couple accumulated nearly $55,000 over the ten-month span.

Rick Kriseman to become St. Petersburg mayor Tampa Bay Times

Rick Kriseman defeated incumbent Bill Foster after a nine-month long battle to become the new mayor of St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Though his name hadn’t appeared on a ballot since 2007, Foster prevailed with 56 percent of the votes as compared to Foster’s 44 percent, a 12 point gain, and three times as many precincts as his opponent. Even around Eckerd College, an area that showed the greatest support for Foster, the previous mayor secured only 65 percent of the votes. As the new mayor, Kriseman must quickly tackle issues such as hiring a police chief and resolving the tension between the Pier and the Tampa Bay Rays. Kriseman’s victory makes Foster the first incumbent to not serve a second term in mayoral office since 1993.

Time Warp

Top Left: A crowd of students dancing in the Coliseum.

Top Right: A student entered the costume contest as a broken yellow bike. Bottom Left: A group of students on stage for the costume contest.

Leutenent Dan on the far right went on to win first prize.

Bottom Right: The Breakfast Club performing at Time Warp.

Photos by Spencer Yaffe

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

News

News 3

INSIDE NEWS Gender dysphoria

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Skateboarding club

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Dear Lindsey

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Pizza truck boasts successful first week, plans to expand menu

By Margaret Evans and Rose Kraemer Staff Writer and Asst. News Editor The long-anticipated pizza truck opened for business Oct. 29. Serving late-night pizza, the food truck is filling a long-open niche in the dining schedule of students.

The food truck is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and on Fridays and Faturdays it’s open from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. All pizza’s are eight dollars, except for the margarita pizza, which is ten dollars because of it’s high quality buffalo mozzarella.

Student reactions to the truck have been positive. Sophomore Erik Robinson was pleased with his food truck experience.

“It was solid,” Robinson said. “Good staff, great service. The pizza was really nice.”

However, he also offered ideas for how the program could improve.

“I think as far as the taste, they don’t offer enough variety,” he said. He also believes the service should accept meal swipes, as well as flex dollars, which are already accepted.

Variety seems to be the issue that most students have with the food truck.

“I thought it was good, but there was a lack of toppings,” Junior Holly Buresh said.

Junior Connor Montgomery agreed. “It’s a really good idea, I just hope that it gets bigger and they have more variety,” he said.

Freshmen Stephanie Kastin and Carrie Cauley said they are more likely to choose the pizza truck over local chains. “Because it’s

photo by Aaron Levy The pizza oven being prepared for installation.

closer. I think it’s really cool,” Kastin said. “It’s a nice idea if you need food late,” Cauley said.

Proximity and cost are also factors for students who favor the truck. “It’s a lot cheaper and convenient, it’s right outside my dorm,” Montgomery said.

Nevertheless, students seem to realize the program just began, acknowledging that they’re just getting the hang of things. MJ Alvarado, a junior, was able to overlook some small flaws as the food truck got its start.

“It was pretty good. I get that it’s their first week, but they kinda burnt the crust,”

Alvarado said. She added that she still preferred the food truck over companies that deliver to campus. “Because it’s right there, it’s fresh, so it’s better than Papa Johns.”

Other students agree with Alvarado.

“They just started so you can’t expect them to be perfect,” Montgomery said.

Some students who prefer the taste of off-campus pizza would still choose the food truck. Seniors Richard CruzSanchez and AJ Witkowski like the taste of delivery pizza better than the food truck, but will still choose the truck.

“I think it’s cool. Plus it’s flex dollars and not real money,” Cruz-Sanchez said. “If it’s really late I’d go to the truck,” Witkowski said.

Freshman Megan Shannon also feels that cost is a benefit of the truck. “It’s better, because then I don’t have to pay a million dollars. It’s cheap and easier,” Shannon said.

Variety seems to be the students only major issue with the truck. However, according to Director of Dining Services Scott Myers this might not be an issue much longer. There are plans to add vegan dough after Thanksgiving break and possibly gluten-free options after that.

“I want to start offering on Friday and Saturday nights Jojo’s Chili,” Myers said.

The chili is already offered on Thursdays at the pub. “People seem to love that stuff, and I admit I’m addicted to it.”

Even beyond that, there are plans to add made-from-scratch meatball sandwiches, as well as calzones and stromboli, which could happen as soon as December.

“I’d rather start out slow, crank out really good pizzas, make everyone happy and then go from there,” Myers said.

Myers is also talking with ECOS about removing the caf ’s pizza oven and replacing it with something new. Completely removing the caf ’s pizza oven and replacing it with a Mongolian wok serving Mongolian vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options as well as bi-weekly sushi is another possibility, according to Myers. “We’d completely change it up, do some really cool, out-of-the-box stuff.”

Students weigh cost of living on, off campus

By Rose Kraemer Asst. News Editor The rising cost of living for Eckerd College students is not limited to those living on-campus. Commuters too, face increasing monthly rent and high gas prices that may or may not break even with the set cost of residential housing.

This semester alone, 267 students are living off-campus, not including PEL. Many of these students see off-campus housing as an opportunity to save money, both in rent and in food costs.

On average, an Eckerd student pays $6,440 for housing and $4,783 for meals, totaling $11,223 for the school year, which is around eight and a half months.

Only 1,581 students out of the 1,850 can be housed on campus.

Director of Housing Justin Long said the average amount Eckerd actually houses in the fall is about 1500. In the spring that number drops to 1,400, from winter graduations and students studying abroad.

Based on the amount of students living in dorms, Long said the students have incentives to stay in campus housing.

“With Eckerd being a small closed campus we rely on providing excellent programming in and outside of the residence halls to keep our students wanting to reside on campus,” he said.

However, Long said the housing costs go up about two to three percent each year to stay competitive with the rates of local apartments, possibly explaining the reasons for students choosing to live off-campus.

For Sophomore Gina Nunziata, the cost of residential housing and food expenses were deterrents.

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Nunziata has been a commuter since day one, making a 15-minute commute from her house, about 10 miles from campus.

Free housing and about $30 a week on gas are the two of her perceived advantages. However, social limitations come with any commuter student in college, and Nunziata knows this difficulty.

“It’s much harder for me to have a social life on campus,” she said.

“I’m never here at nighttime to socialize outside the classrooms.”

Another student commuter has similar sentiments on her difficulties to participate in campus life.

Junior Morgan Engle, has been a commuter since the beginning of this school year, but is considering moving back on campus because of the social constraints.

“The convenience of campus life, like having friends really close by, isn’t so accessible,” she said. “Especially at night when a lot of the fun activities happen.”

However, for Engle the financial benefit, along with the added flexibility in food options, came as a huge plus.

“The rent is much less than traditional dorms on campus,” she said. “I’m not required to be on the meal plan and my place has all the amenities of Omega.”

Engle commutes approximately 1.5 miles from school by bicycle.

“I like commuting because it gives me a reason to get on my bicycle every day,” she said. “When it is raining, though, then it can really suck.”

According to Engle, Eckerd makes it easy for her to function as a commuter.

Sophomore Nicolas Browne, ECOS commuter senator, might be in part to thank for that. Browne just began commuting this fall.

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The financial benefit of off-campus housing is hard to ignore. According to Browne, he saves about $1,000 a semester on housing alone.

Although he is new to commuting, he is fairly certain he will continue to save money.

Browne commutes 1.65 miles from his apartment to campus. He mostly rides his bike to save money, but sometimes he is able to hitch a ride. He makes this commute every day.

Financial reasons are not all that’s keeping Browne in town.

“I chose to be a commuter for financial reasons and just personal reasons as well,” he said. “I’ve found that I appreciate the beauty and experiences of Eckerd a whole lot more now that I have to commute here — I don’t see it or experience it every single second.”

Browne said he feels more grateful now coming onto Eckerd’s campus, and that he likes the freedoms that have come with it.

“Living off campus really makes you appreciate the beautiful campus as well as the amazing opportunity you have in front of you,” Browne said. “It puts things in perspective.”

For two different seniors, the wish to return to campus has been a result of their years living as commuters.

Senior Jeff Evanier spent the past two years living off campus for the change of scenery as well as the preference to have his own meal plan, but soon into his second year, the benefits started losing their salience.

“I had a really good time off campus,” he said. “But it was quiet — way quieter.”

Because his commute was only a mile and a half away from campus, the amount Evanier paid for gas wasn’t affected.

This year, Evanier is back on campus and living in an Omega single.

His bill for housing has changed greatly since last semester. In his apartment off campus, Evanier paid $640 per month, comparative to the cost of living in a room in Nu. The only difference is that his place had all the amenities of Omega, where he is now living. The cost of an Omega single per month, though, is about $985.

On top of this, Evanier pays about $400 a month on food, as he is off the meal plan.

Senior Henry Palmer is also glad to be back on campus living in a single in Omega.

“I love Omega,” he said. “It’s nice to be back and just chill on campus, eating and hanging out with people.”

Palmer didn’t want to live off campus two years in a row.

Living off campus in Tierra Verde made him realize the unexpected costs that come with monthly utility bills and general maintenance when renting a house. Although he shared the costs with two other roommates, the $400 bill in the summer from running the air conditioning still came as an unhappy surprise.

“AC in Florida is no joke,” Palmer said. “Electric and utility bills are so expensive, even $250 to $300 in months other than the summer.”

For Palmer, living in a single has turned out to be far cheaper than his year off campus. It has also been a social benefit. Although he is just as active in campus activities as he was last year, there is still one difference that has affected him greatly.

“On campus it’s a 24-hour social life,” Palmer said. “It’s way better to live here senior year than to feel like you’re in two different places.”

photo by Aaron Levy Construction begins on light.

Traffic cont.

From TRAFFIC, page 1

There will also now be a left turn signal for cars that are turning off the westbound section of the bayway into Eckerd, as well as a left turn signal for people leaving Eckerd towards Tierra Verde.

“The left turn from Eckerd towards the beach is always scary because people love to tear down 54th by Eckerd, im glad they are putting a light in,” Sophomore Martin Davis said.

One concern expressed by many students is that a light there could cause large traffic backups, but according to the plans, that issue has been addressed. Each light will include a camera that can sense where traffic is, so the light won’t stay green for a lane with no traffic. Ault hopes that a light will help regulate and even reduce traffic on the bayway.

According to Ault, the light project has had to receive approval from several different governing bodies.

“First we had to get the Florida DOT (Department of Transportation) up in Tallahassee to approve it, then the Pinellas County board and finally the city of St. Petersburg had to approve the project.”

Construction of the lights will only take around two to three weeks, but Ault does not have an estimate to how long the landscaping to remove the right turn lane will take.

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Nov. 15, 2013

the current

Students get their kicks at the Hoe Down

1. Students line dance outside the Wallace Boathouse.

2. Professor Denison’s bluegrass band performs a full set.

3. The dancers went on late into the night, sometimes deviating from line dancing.

4. Senior Andy Putnam takes a spin with the lasso.

5. An unusual herd of livestock gathered at the waterfront 6. Denison proves his ability of varied musical fluency.

7. Students adding some style to their line dancing skills.

8. EC Tritones blow away the crowd with their harmonious sounds.

9. Stringed-donut eating contest made everyone a little excited.

Photos by Cypress Hansen, Stefan Kapczynski and Spencer Yaffe.

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

News 5

Class learns about gender dysphoria through local’s story

By Rose Kraemer Asst. News Editor She was born a boy. Her family called her “Alex,” put her in boys clothes, gave her toys little boys are supposed to like. But this wasn’t who she was inside.

Inside, Amanda Wilson knew she was in the wrong body, a boy’s body. Wilson is one of few Americans with gender dysphoria.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, gender dysphoria is a new term for the DSM-5, previously called “Gender Identity Disorder.” The major symptom is an inconsistency between assigned and experienced gender, lasting at least six months.

A person with gender dysphoria might be biologically male, but identifies as female, or vice versa Assistant Professor of Psychology Sara Hofmann originally saw Wilson’s story on NBC’s Channel Eight and appreciated her bravery.

“I’m a firm believer in active learning,” she said. “Events like this help the material to come alive and engage students in a meaningful way. [It’s also] a chance for Amanda to share her story and affect others in a positive way,” she said.

Wilson came into Hofmann’s classes during the first two weeks of November this semester. She began the class by introducing Wilson and giving a brief description of gender dysphoria. Like Wilson, many with gender dysphoria choose to live publicly as the opposite gender. Others may even undergo sexual reassignment surgery to match their identified gender.

Hofmann said that this inconsistency also causes distress, common-

ly co-occurring with other mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. This stress and anxiety came for Wilson at a young age, beginning in grade school.

“They never really liked me there,” she said. “They saw me as a problem child.”

When Wilson turned 12, she realized that her gender didn’t match her experience.

“I didn’t really like what I had to be like,” she said.

With the help of friends and online support groups, Wilson allowed herself to begin adapting more feminine traits, such as styling her hair certain ways and wearing “feminine” clothing. She graduated high school and enrolled in local college but dropped out before her third year.

After continued stress, Wilson found a therapist through an online support group. She spoke to her therapist over the telephone for therapy sessions, never once meeting him face-to-face, and underwent unsupervised hormone treatment.

At the rate she was issued hormones, it took less than 10 years for changes to take effect. Wilson’s hair grew faster, her fat moved to different places, she grew breasts and for about three to five years her muscles adjusted, gaining more under-muscle than over-muscle.

During the question-andanswer portion, Sophomore Mike Connelly asked her what changes from the hormone treatments stood out to her the most and which she found amusing.

“Well, I don’t have a menstrual cycle,” she grinned. “But there are times of the month where I feel very emotional, and I never liked chocolate until now.”

photo by Rose Kraemer Professor Sara Hofmann invited Amanda Marie Wilson into her abnormal psychology class for a discussion on gender identity.

Once her father realized the physical changes she was going through, he made clear to her that he did not agree with her changing her body.

Wilson ignored his protests and continued the treatments, moving to Florida with her then-boyfriend.

“I didn’t have to worry about hiding anymore,” she said. “I had never met [my then-boyfriend], but I moved in with him, anyways. I was only six months into my hormone treatments.”

Wilson’s time with her boyfriend didn’t last as the relationship turned abusive. She left after the situation culminated in her being held at gunpoint by her boyfriend’s family when she attempted to flee.

Wilson decided to change her life and become a nurse since it

was a hands-on job that revolved around helping people. She enrolled in PTEC, the Pinellas Technical Education Center for Practical Nursing to acquire her CNA. Everything was going well in nursing school until some of her peers asked if she was transgendered. Wilson said “yes” and soon after she found out that those students complained. For six months she had been using the women’s restroom, and now, because of student complaints, Wilson was forced to use a separate bathroom — in a storage room, without a lock.

She complained, but the school’s reaction to her bathroom situation was not what she expected.

They told her she would be prosecuted by PTEC if she did not use

the specified bathroom assigned to her. Wilson contacted the local news, got a lawyer and found the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

PTEC didn’t drop the threat to prosecute but they did allow her to use the faculty men’s restroom. In order to do this, she had to interrupt the teacher in the middle of class for the key, which she had to do often because the medication she was on at the time was also a diuretic.

Wilson notified the ACLU and they contacted the Department of Education because they found that it was breaking Title IX, the law that schools cannot discriminate on gender or sex.

PTEC backed off and acknowledged the Department of See DYSPHORIA, page 6

National Book Award Winner Katherine Boo visits campus, inspires students

By Sarah Raney Staff Writer Students in QFM and The Human Experience had the opportunity to read Katherine Boo’s book “Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity” for class this semester. Boo received the National Book Award for her book in 2012.

In her book, Boo followed the lives of those living in Annawadi, a seemingly ordinary slum in Mumbai. The feeling of hope in Annawadi is what originally drew the focus of Boo’s reporting.

“People really did have this sense that it was possible to crossover from the poor world into the rich one,” Boo said before the lecture. “I would ask if anyone had made it out to somewhere better, and people would reply, ‘Well, maybe not yet, but somebody’s going to do it soon.’

There was a real sense that some day soon it was going to happen.”

Boo, an American investigative journalist renowned for her work involving poverty around the world, spoke to Human Experience and QFM students, as well as the larger Eckerd community at a lecture and CPS event Oct. 23.

As Boo told the attendees, her book first stemmed from these two questions: “Why don’t more unequal societies implode?” and “what does it take for families in historically poor communities to get out and into the middle class?” As tragic events played out in Annawadi, Boo found herself delving into India’s public health and criminal justice systems.

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“Behind the Beautiful Forevers” was published at the same time in the U.S. as it was in India.

Due to the serious nature of the book’s content, Boo said she was nervous about it’s initial reception.

“I was so afraid that there would be backlash, that the people who had taken this risk were going to be punished. To my great happiness, that didn’t happen,” Boo said in an interview. “To my equal happiness, the highest levels of the Indian government took it seriously. India is not as reactionary and impervious to its own problems as people might think.”

The lives of people of Annawadi have changed in a variety of ways since the publishing of “Behind the Beautiful Forevers.”

“People have come to visit them,” Boo said. “They have met readers face to face. They know now that they are listened to.”

Boo still keeps in touch with them and is working to provide more education opportunities. In her lecture with students in the Human Experience course, Boo discussed how the lives of Abdul, Manju and Sunil have changed since 2009. Abdul is still in limbo in regards to his trial. He is also married now and has a son.

“Abdul’s greatest wish for his son is that he will never ever have to sort garbage,” Boo said.

“Manju did finish college, and she was studying to get her Master’s degree. Her mother got anxious that she was getting too old, and she wasn’t married, so she married her off,” Boo said. “She is teaching 12th grade too, and she loves it.”

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“Sunil almost died in a train accident not long ago,” Boo said.

“We got him to a village where he has some family support.

Poverty, in those extreme conditions over those years, doesn’t magically go away.

He’s fighting that battle every day.”

“One of my favorite parts was when Katherine Boo shared how the lives of the people of Annawadi have photo by Spencer Yaffe changed since the publishing Katherine Boo answers students’ questions on her book, “Behind the Beautiful Forevers.” of the book,” Freshman Lauren Bennett said. question referred to the respon- you spend money and everything “It’s different from the book be- sibility of the reader after reading turns out great, but it doesn’t,” cause it reminds you that these are “Behind the Beautiful Forevers.” Boo said. “We started a school, “Being aware counts for some- but the political power-brokers real people, not just characters.” thing,” Boo said. “I’m a huge believer don’t like it because it diminishes Another student, Freshman Sarah Bryan, was struck by Boo’s in supporting public health because, their power, so they closed it.”

Another query was whether the success in making the events in in the book, people are so often proceeds from the book went to sick just living in that environment. her book relevant to Eckerd stupeople in Annawadi. Boo has tried How can a kid learn when he has dents. “I was really impressed with Katherine Boo and her ability to malaria, or jaundice, or low-grade to start a school there, although the relate to the students here con- infections every day of his life?” idea has suffered some backlash.

“I will have failed as a writer if One organization that Boo recsidering she is in a very different you don’t come away from the book ommends is Deworm the World, situation with living in Annawadi and reporting there,” Bryan said. which helps treat children that thinking a little bit harder about “I thought that it was really im- have worms so that they can be the enormous amount of intellecpressive that she was trying to healthy and get an education. She tual potential that we waste in our both connect to us and tell the also recommends using givewell. world society,” Boo said. “You can story of the people of Annawadi.” org, an organization that demands hear about it and not feel any kind from charities. of urgency about the problem. True During both lectures, students accountability “There are these notions that empathy is the enemy of cruelty.” asked a variety of questions. One

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Skateboarding club, skate ramps in development Editor-in-Chief Malena Carollo thecurrent@eckerd.edu Associate Editor Greg Reilly News Editor Aaron Levy currentnews@eckerd.edu Asst. News Editors Rose Kraemer Taylor Glaws Viewpoints Editors Ely Grinfeld Shannon Vize currentviews@eckerd.edu Entertainment Editor Ian Lindsay currententertainment@eckerd.edu Asst. Entertainment Editors Hayden Johnson Hailey Escobar Quickie Editors Sydney Cavero Gary Furrow currentquickie@eckerd.edu Health & Fitness Editor Sabrina Lolo currenthealth@eckerd.edu Asst. Health & Fitness Editor Simon Scheidegger Sports Editor Mike Geibel currentsports@eckerd.edu Asst. Sports Editors Colin Casey Will Creager Copy and Design Editor Mike Geibel Photo and Graphic Design Editor Alex Zielinski currentphoto@eckerd.edu Webmaster Vincent Lynch Faculty Adviser K.C. Wolfe Director of Finances Hannah Zaremsky Director of PR/Advertising Sarah Richardson currentads@eckerd.edu

The Current is a free biweekly student newspaper at Eckerd College. Offices are located upstairs in Cobb at 4200 54th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33711. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of EC students, staff, faculty and administration.

The Current welcomes letters to the editor. Submissions should be typed and not exceed 400 words. Writers must include their full name, graduation year and contact number. Faculty and staff should include their title, department and contact number. All submissions are subject to editing for the purposes of clarity, style or length. The Current holds the right to reject any letters deemed inappropriate. Letters can be sent via email to thecurrent@eckerd.edu with subject “Letter to the editor.” _______________________________ The Current will run full-length articles covering any arrests that present a clear danger to the community.

Charges that would be investigated under this policy include robberies, assaults, weapons charges or illicit drug manufacturing, such as methamphetamine. The Current will continue publishing a small police blotter for felony arrests, and misdemeanor charges against student government leaders, Residential Advisors and staff members of The Current. We learn of arrests through searching the police arrest database by entering Eckerd’s address, as well as from tips. Questions and comments can be emailed to thecurrent@eckerd.edu.

By Charles Colvin Contributing Writer A growing number of skateboarding students, concentrated at Kappa, are calling for an organized group to facilitate and fund their sport. Though a longboard club existed as recently as last semester, no facilities or resources exist for other skateboarders.

A “Skateboarding Club” is trying to join the school’s many student-run organizations beginning next semester. Along with the addition of this club, students can possibly expect to see skate ramps placed at an undetermined location on campus in the future.

Senior Ray “Scotty” Smith is working with members of ECOS in an attempt to establish an approved skating area on campus, along with a club to fund the area. Before it can be established by ECOS, Smith must create a case for the club’s purpose and present it for approval.

If the skateboarding club is approved, it will then receive funding from ECOS — money that will “very likely” be used to build ramps on campus, according to Smith.

“It’s all still on the drawing board,” he said.

“I still have to create a packet and information to present to ECOS and get it approved to get the proper funding. But it’s all in the works right now.”

Smith said that there are a few possible locations for the new ramps including near the Kappa fire pit or near the athletic fields.

Smith has been working with Associate Dean of Stu-

dents for Campus Activities Fred Sabota. For the club to go through, it will need to go togo through the standard club chartering process.

Smith has also exchanged correspondence with Tim Payne, founder and president of Team Pain, a specialist company that has been designing and building skate parks for over 30 years. Ideally, Smith said, the new club will use their funding to have Team Pain build a skating structure for the club and any other students who wish to skate or ride at Eckerd.

Team Pain was responsible for building several local parks that are popular with Smith and other Eckerd students, including Bradenton Riverwalk Skatepark and the most recent renovation of the legendary Skatepark of Tampa.

“We want to ideally build a 3’6” tall concrete mini-ramp,” Smith said.

“A full bowl built by Team Pain would be way too expensive, but wooden ramps wouldn’t last in the Florida heat and humidity.”

However, according to Smith, concrete ramps can be very expensive, and this will more-thanlikely limit the project — at least for this year.

Currently there are several club ideas in the air, but an official meeting for interested parties will be held at Kappa in the upcoming weeks. Smith will create a petition-like list of students who approve and support the idea of creating a skating area on campus. So far, students have been very enthusiastic.

“I don’t see why [ECOS] wouldn’t approve this,”

photo by Aaron Levy Senior Kappa resident Scott Smith is spearheading a skateboarding club.

Sophomore Noah Rosenfeld said. Rosenfeld is a skateboarder living at Kappa who is highly interested in this project.

“Eckerd College is a great place for so many things, but it really neglects the community of skateboarders and BMX riders on campus. We don’t have any spot on campus to practice our sport, but the school gives tons of money to athletes of more ‘popular’ sports like soccer and baseball. They even fund wakeboarding and surfing. It’s only fair of them to now acknowledge the many people who don’t have a spot to practice and do what they love.”

Rosenfield is one of many students who frequented the temporary skating spot created at Kappa by fresh-

men students last year.

“While they lasted, last year’s ramps were a great thing that brought people together and gave us a spot to do what we love,” Smith said. “There are so many reasons to bring that back in an official, more permanent way. Eckerd’s all about keeping up with the times, and this would be a great way to do that.”

Smith lists this as one of the incentives for the ramps in the case that he is developing. According to Smith, the addition of a skate spot on campus would provide students with more ways to be active. The ramps would also potentially attract more students to the school.

Smith also argues that it would benefit the physical health of students.

Immigration dine and discuss cont.

From Immigration, page 1

her citizenship status. “I have all these papers, but they really don’t mean much,” she said.

Kirschner spoke to the hardships undocumented Hispanics face ranging from fear of deportation to being unable to afford visits to the doctor when family members are sick. He discussed how a one-time slipup like getting pulled over while driving can result in the life altering event of deportation.

“The population of undocumented workers is growing whether we like it or not,” Kirschner said. He responded to the poor treatment of immigrants as commonplace, noting in a later email that mistreatment of immigrants is historically common among many cultures. “We are capable of much better in the United States.

“Whether you like it or not,” he wrote, “it’s fiscal, social and economic insanity to contemplate deporting 11 million plus undocumented residents of the United States. Perhaps most important and rarely discussed by the media or politicians, is

that due to the demographic aging of our workforce, the U.S. not only needs these millions of relatively young workers, we are going to need more.”

Sarasota has a population that is 20 percent Latino and up to 30 percent of these people are undocumented.

Kirschner addressed America’s changing populations and spoke of removing racial bias from immigration discussions to “elevate the conversation” and working at accomplishing equal opportunity for the growing hispanic populations.

Quezada formed a club at her high school in Sarasota in connection with the non-profit Unidos Now Organization to raise awareness on the issues many undocumented students face. After graduating high school, Quezada began working with a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Now group in Sarasota. The group has met with members of Congress and gone to Senator Vern Buchanan’s office advocating for immigration reform and for undocumented students to

have the ability to attend college and apply for student loans.

“The only way to keep moving forward is to show people you are as much of a person as they are,” Quezada said.

Izaguirre and Quezada spoke of experiencing racial bias first hand in America.

Both said that they felt people expected them to pursue low wage jobs because of their race.

Pointing to his skin, Izaguirre said, “They see this and they assume, they don’t care to ask (about what you do).”

Quezada nodded as she lowered her gaze to the floor in front of them before adding, “They see you are Hispanic and think you are not smart.”

Senior Maria Castro found the event informative.

“I felt that the event really brought awareness to those who may not know the struggles of immigrants in this country,” she said. “It was both informative and inspiring.”

Service Learning will host another Dine and Discuss event Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. on human trafficking.

“Physical activity helps people to mellow out, reduce stress and calm their minds before studying — it would be very beneficial to students who use it.”

Smith recognizes the implications that could come with this project, including liability to the school.

However, he sees this as a problem worth solving.

Campus Activities’ website has the motto “Giving you a reason to go outside since 1958.”

According to Smith, skateboarding is a great reason and not the first “dangerous” one.

Smith has also stated that if the club is established without approval of the project, the money given to the club will instead be used to bring students on trips to other skate parks.

Gender dysphoria guest speaker cont.

From Dysphoria, page 5

Education because they found that it was breaking Title IX, the law that schools cannot discriminate on gender or sex.

PTEC backed off and acknowledged the Department of Education. They agreed to stop referring to her as a “he” and they allowed her use of the women’s restroom.

Nearly two years later, Wilson is still angry at the ordeal.

“They’ll shake your hand with one, and have a dagger in the other,” she said.

Wilson now has her CNA, is working in a nursing facility and has a new doctor to give her proper hormone treatments and doses.

A student then asked her if she sees herself as an unintentional advocate.

“If I wasn’t doing it, someone would be experiencing it,” she said. “So yeah, I guess so.”

Sophomore Sarah Pavlich was impressed by Wilson’s presentation.

“She is an incredibly resilient and inspirational woman,” Pavlich said.

Hofmann echoed similar sentiments.

“I think that the event was an interesting and positive experience for all involved,” she said. “Amanda (Wilson) has already agreed to visit my class again next semester.

“I think the students learned a lot about the personal experience of the disorder, and they also got a chance to understand more about resiliency and advocacy.”

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Nov. 15, 2013

News 7

Seniors look forward to Quest for Meaning’s Festival of Hope

By Erik Brydges Contributing Writer Eckerd College’s senior class will assemble at the GO Pavilion Dec. 4 for the Festival of Hope.

This is an annual event hosted by the students, mostly seniors, as a capstone to the service learning requirement of their Quest for Meaning (QFM) course, which is a graduation requirement.

The Festival of Hope gives QFM students an opportunity to share the experiences they had during their 40 hours of volunteering with their professors and other students.

It also encourages the community to think about what positive impacts they can make to the world, and challenges them to find purpose and meaning through the act of engaging in service for others.

Seniors Meredith Brull and Sarah Levine, who are both donating their time to Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Petersburg, have attended the festival in past years and say they are excited that it is their turn to present.

“I have attended every Festival of Hope,” Brull said. “One for a CPS credit, but the others out of interest. Attending the Festival of Hope is always enjoyable because it is an interactive event. I have fond memories of making crafts, talking with seniors about their experiences and petting dogs that come from local animal shelters.”

Levine was also positive about the upcoming event.

“I have been to the Festival of Hope and it gives me renewed energy every time,” she said. “It reminds me of why I fell in love with Eckerd. It is inspiring to see people coming together with their friends,

doing good for the world, and being passionate about their projects.”

While the course is a graduation requirement as is the writing portfolio, many seniors do not feel burdened by the service learning aspect of the course.

“For my service learning project, I decided to continue volunteering with the Eckerd College Search and Rescue team,” Senior Alicia Lorfink said.

“This experience has been a crucial part of my Eckerd experience. I have grown so much as an individual and I’ve been grateful to be a part of an amazing family for the past four years. I get the opportunity to assist boaters that are in all sorts of disphoto by Lauren Murphy ‘12 tress, and I am very Photo of seniors displaying posters of the aims of their Quest for Meaning projects, from the 2011 Festival of Hope in the GO Pavilion. excited to showcase my service in QFM hours at this organiza- man year for my Principles of entire Eckerd, St. Petersburg and the Festival of Hope this year.” tion would provide me with more Management and Leadership Pinellas County community. EckSimilarly, Levine and Brull meaningful reflection about my class. It is cool to see the devel- erd students who attend the Festiboth decided to volunteer at personal transformation through- opment of the organization and val can receive a College Program Pet Pal Animal Shelter because out my college years,” Brull said. it feels like coming full circle.” Series (CPS) credit for attending. they had an opportunity to work Erik Brydges is the Festival of The Festival of Hope will be held Levine felt similarly. with the organization during “It’s really meaningful to me Dec. 4 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. under Hope Coordinator for his QFM their freshman year at Eckerd. because I volunteered there fresh- the GO Pavilion. It is open to the section.

“I felt that completing my

New professor combines economics and environmental studies

By Katherine Fox Contributing Writer Eckerd prides itself on its interdisciplinary structure. Bridging the gap between collegiums is one of the cornerstones of the liberal arts experience.

This aspect of Eckerd is also a draw for many of the professors who apply to teach at the college.

With its established environmental studies program, Eckerd seems like a strong fit for new Assistant Professor of Economics Jeff Felardo, who brings a fresh approach to numbers and finance with his background in environmental economics.

“There are just so many opportunities here,” Felardo said.

“Nobody here does exactly what I do but there is so much overlap with a bunch of different departments and that’s really neat.”

While working towards his Bachelor of Arts in international economics degree at California State University-Chico, he says he was drawn to teaching at a college level.

“I found tutoring and leading class discussions to be very enjoyable,” he said.

This realization led him to his current vocation. He obtained his masters degree in economics at the University of Wyoming in Laramie and his Ph.D. in economics with a focus on natural resource and environmental economics at the University of New Mexico.

Though he has experience teaching as a graduate student, this is Felardo’s first full-time instructor position. He says that Eckerd

was a top choice for him because of the location and the opportunities he saw to incorporate international education, environmental studies and economics.

“Their expectations of me as a professor were exactly what I wanted to do with environmental economics and the opportunity to go abroad and take students,” he said.

Felardo plans to work with Coordinator of the East Asian Studies Program Andrew Chittick to contribute his knowledge of economics to the Asia and the Environment Initiative. The program, which includes students and faculty from all majors, will conclude next summer with a six-week, hands-on environmental research trip to Asia.

“Its really interdisciplinary,” he said. “They have the cultural, historical and a bunch of different aspects so I’m trying to contribute some economics into that.”

Felardo is already making a positive impression on his students.

“Professor Felardo’s teaching style is much different from the majority of the other professors,” Sophomore Matthew Hardy said.

“He requires that we think of some discussion questions for the next class, which helps stimulate our thought processes and focus on the reading. Professor Felardo is able to make economics fun and understandable. I think this has a lot to do with his drive to really help everyone and to make sure that every topic is understood by everyone before he begins a new topic. He is also very friendly and approachable.”

Outside of the classroom, Felardo is currently researching for-

Visit us online at www.theonlinecurrent.com

Attention Artists Love drawing cartoons? Want to show off your talents? The Current is looking for cartoonists interested in politics or campus comentary. photo by Aaron Levy Assistant Professor of Economics Jeff Felardo.

est management in southeast Asia and water use in New Mexico.

Felardo has previously conducted research into resource management and the impact of rapid urbanization on the environment, an interest developed after experiencing a massive rise in infrastructure around a small village in Thailand.

Spanning the course of five different trips, Felardo has spent the

equivalent of over a year in Thailand including several weeks in a Thai Buddhist temple serving as a monk.

In his personal life, he loves to travel and learn about other cultures. Additional travels have led him to locations such as Italy and the Czech Republic. He also enjoys playing basketball, fishing, watching football and soccer, and playing with his 2-year old daughter.

The Current meets every Monday in Cobb 123 from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Pizza will be served.

8 News

the current

Nov. 15, 2013 portunities or even your most recent coursework — those count as experience too! No, these are not technically “work” experiences, but there is something to be said about the skills and knowledge you have gained from these past involvements that may be applied to a new job. If you have experience dealing with people on an interpersonal level, such as in a soup kitchen or fundraiser, that would be something a retail hiring manager may be interested in. If you have ever worked efficiently in a team, such as a group research assignment or athletic activity from school, this may also be a good topic to bring up.

Brought to you by Career Services Dear Lindsey, The good news: I’ve been getting interviews for the seasonal jobs I’ve applied to at the mall.

The bad news: I become embarrassed and have problems finding something to talk about in interviews. I have never worked a job where I’ve gotten paid before. I’m 19 and I feel like everyone looks down on me for never having worked a job, but I’m from a rural area where it’s near impossible to find work if you lack transportation.

Sincerely, Fresh Meat

Dear Fresh Meat, There are many people your age that are just starting to look for that first part-time job; it’s really nothing to be ashamed of. You’re just beginning a new stage in life where you are (and I may be assuming here) mostly or totally independent from your family. You are being responsible enough to try and fill your free time with work experience, so if anything, you should feel proud. You’re not a bum!

I’ve spoken to many students who may not have a solid work history, or lack one completely.

Some things that are important to consider may be any volunteer op-

So there you go, two things your seasonal retail hiring managers may be looking for that aren’t necessarily from a past job. Other things you may want to mention: 1. Time management skills Anyone who works in retail knows there is a lot to be done in a small amount of time. This is especially true around the holidays!

If you are punctual, this is definitely a plus to any hiring manager.

Don’t sacrifice your study time, but realize that you may be giving up your weekends and taco Tuesdays. Being flexible whenever you don’t have class, and giving your supervisor a clear idea of when you will be available will help you in your interview process drastically.

3. Ability to take some heat Believe it or not, it takes tough skin to work in the mall. It may not be your fault that the newest Lady Gaga album has sold out, but a customer may be directing all of that negativity in your direction and it can be draining. Being able to handle difficult people while still giving the best service with a smile is definitely a strength!

4. Willingness to take ownership You should be able to “own” the situation you are put in. Good

or bad, how you react and move to solve the situation is the very picture of professionalism. Be honest and learn from your experiences. Next year, when this job is on your resume, you will be able to recall everything you’ve learned to the next job interviewer.

5. Interviews Many retail companies share common interview processes. If you are feeling nervous about the types of questions you are going to be asked, just do some basic internet research. You can find a lot of helpful information on what to expect, such as if it might be a group interview and key questions they might ask, just by Googling something along the lines of the name of the company and interview process.

Best of Luck, Lindsey

2. Flexible working hours Store hours should accommodate all consumers and not just ones available after your class, before practice, and the day before your weekend trip to Disney.

Have a career quandary? Write to Dear Lindsey at dearlindsey@eckerd.edu.

Students make financial and ethical arguments for divestment From DIVEST, page 1

-mittee Vice-Chair Ronald Francis (‘65) and William Ripberger (‘65).

“The majority of them were Eckerd alums, which was really cool,” Horning said. “Just imagine us 30 or 40 years from now.”

Also present at the meeting was Dean of Students Jim Annarelli, Assistant Professor of International Business Morris Shapero and Professor of Political Science William Felice.

Horning says the group divided the presentation into three sections: the financial argument for divestment, the ethical argument and a question and answer period.

In general, members of EC Divest believe the meeting went well.

“We had a lot of strong supporters and allies for the movement so we think at least having them on our side is really going to help to make sure this is discussed as much as possible and on the agenda,” Sims said. “We were really only supposed to be there for 20 minutes and it was probably closer to 30 or 40 minutes. It was a testament to how

interested they were in our topic.”

Shapero believes EC Divest made an impact on the Investment Committee and said he was proud of the group.

“They showed great respect and due diligence, they had done their homework, they talked smartly and they were compassionate,” he said. “They realized that the investment committee has a fiduciary responsibility to make a substantial return on investment because we are a tuition driven school, we don’t have big endowments.”

The October review of Eckerd’s investment portfolio by investment consulting firm Prime Buchholz assessed how exposed the college’s investments are to fossil fuel companies, using the list of the top 200 coal, gas and oil

companies provided by www.350. org as a reference. The exact results of the review are not known.

No colleges or universities in Florida have actively divested from funds that have fossil fuel interests, although similar cam-

endowments than Eckerd’s $45 million, according to febp.newamerica. net, which would make the college one of the largest endowed schools to divest. As of press time, Vice President for Business and Finance Chris Brennan could not be reached to confirm that figure.

In conjunction with ECOS S e n a t e elections which took place Sept.

16 - 19, EC Divest asked voters “Would you support Eckerd withdrawing investments in mutual funds that include fossil fuel corporations?” Of 481 voters, 220 responded “yes,” 40 responded “no,” 82 responded “indifferent” and 139 did not answer the question. That means about 45% of voters would be in support of such a move, while about 8% would outwardly oppose it.

“They showed great respect and due diligence, they had done their homework, they talked smartly and they were compassionate.”

— Assistant Professor of International Business Morris Shapero paigns and petitions exist at New College in Sarasota and the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Schools that have successfully divested their endowments include Hampshire College in Massachusetts, Unity College in Maine and Green Mountain College in Vermont. As of 2012, all of the aforementioned schools had smaller

Looking ahead, the group said the biggest thing they need from the community is continued support.

“We really need just more pressure from faculty and students,” Cook said. “That’s the biggest thing.”

The club plans to invite a speaker to come and talk about divestment and designate a divestment day to raise awareness.

“We’re just going to use the day to do a couple different activities around campus to spread awareness about divestment and get the energy up so everyone realizes we’ve already met with the board and are taking definitive steps to make this happen,” Senior and club member Alex Hogan said.

Even though the group believes the board will actively consider their presentation, they won’t hear back from the trustees until they meet again in February or May. In the meantime, EC Divest plans to continue getting signatures for their growing petition.

“We came in there with a direct request, so we’re going to wait for a direct answer,” Horning said.

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the current

Viewpoints 9

Nov. 15, 2013

Viewpoints Legal age for cigarette purchase raised NYC to go from 18 to 21 to stave off youth smoking

By Shannon Vize Viewpoints Editor

When most people think of the Audubon Society, the first thing that comes to their mind is a bunch of old people dressed up in safari gear, watching birds for hours on end. Bird watching, bird counting, bird tagging — I mean, the organization itself was named after a guy who painted thousands upon thousands of paintings of birds.

Friendly Fire

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MBFGC

page 11

I was going to like these people.

The rest of the day I was completely blown away by everything.

The people I was able to work with were students, scientists and volunteers from all across Florida — all dedicated to different natural projects and all really excited to be there. I worked closely with my mentor, Mike Kline, a water quality monitor and hydrologist at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

Kline works as one part of an extensive conservation project centered around the Roseate Spoonbills and their declining numbers in the Everglades. The majority of the people I met throughout the day were kind of like Mike — all smaller parts of a bigger project. Whether they were agriculturists, wildlife biologists or avid birdwatchers they were all working towards preserving Florida’s natural heritage, and they were completely immersed in the work they were doing.

This year marked the beginning of Florida Audubon Society’s Boots on the Ground campaign, a movement that inspires people to get involved in citizen science, habitat stewardship and grassroots advocacy. Inspiration was not lacking at this year’s assembly. The Executive Director of Florida Audubon Society Eric Draper, spoke during the volunteer awards ceremony and gave an overview of all the successful projects Audubon has executed

The Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC) is offering a program in which experienced learners expand their minds and others through peered education. In past years, students have perceived ASPEC as a distant part of campus life.

The new mentor-mentee program hopes for the further integration of ASPEC’s experienced learners and Eckerd’s traditional student body.

The traditional program is a social and academic network involving on- and off-campus learning, social hours, and group trips to museums and restaurants. At the beginning of this semester, however, a new mentor-mentee program, which is opening doors for the integration of ASPEC’s experienced learners and Eckerd’s traditional student body, was formed.

ASPEC’s new mentor-mentee program connects students with an ASPEC mentor. Through a dinner and survey that a group of invited students and friends they were encouraged to bring along, information is gathered about both the mentors and mentees and a pair is matched based on mutual interests. After pairs are matched, both mentor and mentee receive each other’s contact information. Other people have joined later by contacting current ASPEC member and head of the program, Julia Lewis.

Once a mentor-mentee pair is made, the two meet as much as they would like in order to further their relationship as friends and colleagues in learning. Mentors can help a student in deciding what classes to take, how to handle a tough problem at school, or simply go out for a casual lunch and get to know each other better. The mentor-mentee relationship can be tailored to fit each matched pair.

This year, as a sophomore, I joined the ASPEC mentor program and met my mentor, Kyle Norberg.

Norberg and I have had an unforgettable time getting to know each other and we have already met quite a few times. Our meetings have been as simple as coffee at the pub and as interesting as a visit to the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art. Having a chance to interact with an ASPEC member has been really eye opening. I love being able to receive advice from a my mentor, a woman who I know has already been very successful

See AUDUBON, page 11

See ASPEC, page 11

photo by Shannon Vize Strewn cigarette presence on campus may decrease as tobacco laws change.

New York City Council is taking the legislation one step further by adding other anti-smoking efforts like raising the minimum price of a pack of cigarettes to $10.50 and increasing the punishments for those who evade tobacco taxes. “Honestly, I think that convenience stores where you would buy tobacco from in Massachusetts are pretty strict to begin with, so I think that this will make it a lot harder for people,”

There couldn’t be much more to a bird organization than birds, right?

Well, Audubon has come a long way since its start in 1900 and is now one of the most influential conservation organizations in the state of Florida, as well as the U.S. So why am I telling you about this society of old people who sit around and watch birds all day? Because I think I’m destined to become one of those people, and I really can’t wait.

The National Audubon Soci-

courtesy of audubonsociety’s Instagram A Great Egret, one of the birds the Audubon Society protects, basking in the sun.

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By Julia Collins Staff Writer

Senior Joanna Fosque said about the legal age changing in her home state. “But I think people will always find a way around laws like this.”

Another main argument against changing the legal age of buying cigarettes from 18 to an older age is that if someone is old enough to legally be considered an adult, vote, get tattoos or piercings and serve in the military, then that individual should be seen as mature enough to

make decisions regarding their own health, like smoking a cigarette.

I don’t smoke cigarettes and I don’t understand why other people do, considering the extreme and severe health risks associated with smoking, but if that person is 18, then I think they should be allowed to choose whether they want to smoke or not. If smoking cigarettes earSee CIGARETTE, page 10

Audubon society helps birds, ecosystems

By Leah Bilski Staff Writer

Feminista

New ASPEC mentorship program to foster stronger connection with students

N

ew York City is the latest city to increase the legal age for buying cigarettes and any tobacco related product, including electronic cigarettes, from 18 to 21. The proposed bill, adopted on Oct. 30, will go into effect six months after Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg signs it, which he has already agreed to do.

Washington D.C., Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey and Utah have raised the legal age to 19. Various counties in New York state have also raised the legal age of buying tobacco to 19, and several towns in Massachusetts have raised the legal age to 21. New Jersey and D.C. are also beginning to have conversations about raising the age higher to match New York City. But will this new legislation help keep tobacco products out of the hands of young people? I’m not so sure.

This trend is a response to the growing number of young people who are developing nicotine addictions well before reaching the legal age to purchase tobacco related products. D.C. Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, who is leading the movement to change the legal age from 19 to 21, said in a statement, “By restricting tobacco sales to young people, we can prevent many of our youth from acquiring a terrible, deadly addiction.”

INSIDE VIEWPOINTS

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ety was founded roughly 140 years ago and is one of the oldest naturalist organizations in the nation.

Initially, the organization worked exclusively to bring an end to the slaughter of birds for the feather trade, but over time Audubon has built a legacy of conservation for itself across the U.S. Florida was one of the first states to charter its own chapter of the Audubon Society and since its creation has been one of the most environmentally influential organizations in the state.

This past October, the Florida Audubon Society held its annual Audubon Assembly, honoring the successes of the organization and the contributors that made it all possible. I was lucky enough to attend the assembly after being accepted into Audubon’s third annual Conservation Leadership Initiative (CLI), which was sponsored in part

by Disney’s Worldwide Conservation Fund. But I was running late the morning of the conference. I expected that my dreams of conservation would tragically end sitting in traffic on the Howard Frankland Bridge, but I was so, so wrong. I finally made it to Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs for the conference and was quickly ushered to my assigned group. I felt like a little kid, expecting to be scolded for showing up late or straying too far from the group, but instead I was almost celebrated for finally making it. It was then that I knew

10 Viewpoints

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Feminista: Catcalling is not a compliment

Friendly Fire:

Pumpkin pie vs. Apple pie: who wins?

By Hailey Escobar Asst. Entertainment Editor For many of us, Florida means shorts and tank tops all year round. This is especially true when going on a run or working out around campus. However, this can sometimes lead to unwanted attention in the form of catcalling which is defined as making a whistle, shout or comment of a sexual nature to a person passing by.

From the time we enter our teenage years, catcalling becomes a common occurrence. Whether it’s passing strangers calling out lewd comments or honks from speeding cars, catcalling happens every day in cities all over the world. Whatever it is though, it’s all harassment.

Catcalling is not only annoying and unwanted, but it also makes girls feel like nothing more than sexual objects. With comments being made only about their body, women begin to feel like that’s the only thing they’ll get recognized for. I understand that some men think catcalls should be taken as a compliment and some women might take it that way. However, I have never seen it that way and I know I’m not the only one.

“It’s happened to me a couple of times,” Junior MacKenna Cummings said. “I would be walking to Sigma freshmen year and if I was going for a run and I was in my sports-bra, guys would, like, honk or lean out the window and whistle and it just makes me feel selfconscious and a little bit violated.”

Like other girls, I’ve grown up learning how to protect myself from unwanted attention. Ladies, you probably know the drill: pepper spray in the purse or some other form of weapon or keys in hand when you walk to the car.

Catcalling just makes these instincts go on high alert. We feel threatened by the unwanted attention and considering statistics, like the fact that one in four college women have survived rape or attempted rape, it’s not a hard thing to imagine why.

“It ranged from crude to scary, with someone following me for a long time on my walk home,” Senior Lily Ellis said about her experience with harassment in Boston.

“When I would ignore them or reject them, often times I’d get called a b****…when I was making my way home late from a long day of work at my competitive internship, I was honestly afraid that one of the guys that were saying stuff would attack me. Violence against women is real, and threatening it in public spaces is scary. Especially since not once did anyone tell the guys to back off, or do anything to stop it.”

I know that not all men call out to women on the street and, if they do, they don’t always do it with the intent on harming the girl. However, guys can be victims too. So, set an example that it’s not okay to harass anyone on the street.

While catcalling happens all over the world, to the point where visiting female students are warned ahead of time, I don’t think it’s as recognized in the U.S as it should be. Most people don’t think it’s a big deal, but when there are girls as young as thirteen who are being honked at by guys two or three times older than them, it’s a serious problem that we need to resolve so everyone can feel safe.

By Alek Matthiessen ECOS Vice President of Financial Affairs

Pumpkin pie has made a robust emergence this holiday season, and people everywhere are ecstatic. Associated with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and nearly every other occasion that embodies joy, pumpkin pie has established itself as the signature dish of light-hearted, generous, wholesome, fun. Its sight is like candy to the retinas.

Its sweet smell incites childhood memories of playing in the leaves, of scarfs and smiles, of the harvest. Its taste is so overwhelmingly pleasurable that it leaves the taste buds almost permanently insatiable.

The base of pumpkin pie, the pumpkin, is a plant that is native to, expectedly, North America. Its origins can be traced back to pumpkin-related seeds from 7000 and 5500 B.C. With each year that the pumpkin plant rejected extinction, its taste grew exponentially, culmi-

Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s as American as apple pie?”

Well that is because no other desert is more quintessentially American than the grand old apple pie.

Apple pie is a warming symbol of peace, prosperity and patriotism.

According to Global Emissary when asked by journalists why they were going to war, American soldiers bound for the Atlantic or Pacific theaters of World War II would answer, “For Mom and apple pie.” Pie Town in New Mexico even took its name in honor of the apple pie. This is why there is no other dessert that will fill you with thankfulness like apple pie.

It is a little known fact that apple pies, unlike pumpkin pies, have great nutritional value, and they have real slices of fruit. These slivers are packed with antioxidantflavonoid compounds that may help stop certain bad cholesterols

nating in the rich, full taste we have today. It did, unfortunately, take some time for humans to capitalize on this gold mine of flavor. The early nineteenth century witnessed the solidification of pumpkin pie as a Thanksgiving dinner necessity, and the Pilgrims, realizing its extraordinary potential, returned to New England with the recipe. If the resilient, conquering history of pumpkin pie is not convincing enough that it is the greatest weapon we have against debauchery today, then its cultural significance will.

John Greenleaf Whittier, one of the most famous American poets, dedicated one of his poems to the greatness of pumpkin pie, titled “The Pumpkin.” Nowhere else in history do we see a food elevated from the status of a dessert to a symbol for beauty, hope, progress and all that is good in the

from oxidizing, making sure your heart stays healthy. Apples also are a great source of pectin, a soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol too. This makes the apple pie a sweet treat to keep a strong heartbeat, and a great way to get in your one a day to keep the doctor away.

The history of the apple pie is just as impressive as the nutritional punch it packs. The apple pie can trace its ancestry back to early versions in 14th century Europe. When the brave colonists sailed across the stormy seas from England to the shining shores of America they brought with them the tradition of apple pie. Which led to the apple pie being featured in the first American cookbook, “American Cookery,” published in 1796.

An apple tree from which the great pie is made also shaded George Washington and the Marquis de La-

world. It has made numerous appearances in other poems, paintings, and songs that further propel its status and its symbolism.

It is impossible to compare other pies to pumpkin pie because they are not even in the same family. The foundation of all other pies is to have a taste of a nice dessert. With pumpkin pie, you taste history. You taste the leaves changing. You taste the old American farmer reaping his barley underneath an orange sky. To be perfectly candid, eating pumpkin pie is more than enjoying a dessert. It is an experience no other pie has. The pumpkin pie experience.

The next time you’re making your grocery list, think twice about what comes after milk and Captain Crunch. Should it be edamame or an edification? Should it be a sweetener or sweet memories? Should it be despair or should it be pumpkin pie?

fayette for dinner in 1779, as they plotted revolutionary war strategy against the British. This is why when you are enjoying your Thanksgiving meal there is no dessert that will make you feel as patriotic as apple pie.

The apple pie is also a sophisticated pie, whether you top it with a crumble, crust or lattice, whether you pair it with ice cream, whipped cream or a slice of cheddar cheese.

The variety and depth of flavor that apple pies have achieved make each pie a unique experience to behold. The contrast of warm gooey sugar, spice apple filling and tender flaky crust come together in a symphony of sensational taste that is unbeatable. Whether you stay on campus or go home for the holidays, remember the pie that has been filling and fueling Americans since the settlement of Jamestown.

By Henry Ashworth ECOS Executive Vice President

PerspECtives How do you plan to burn the calories off after Thanksgiving? courtesy of cecilia_marie23’s Instagram Cigarette packs like these will soon be available to those over 21 in New York City.

“Gym — working out three times a week.”—Brianna Hyatt, freshman

Cigarette laws changing From CIGARETTES, page 9

lier in life has such negative effects on a person that we feel the need to raise the legal age of purchasing them, then what makes you think sending an 18-year-old to fight a war is any less damaging to their body or mind.

“Because I do not smoke cigarettes, I think it’s a good way to keep people from smoking cigarettes who are not already the legal age,” Senior Elizabeth Claydon, who is from D.C., said.

She responded to the previous argument about the inconsistencies between what we can and can’t do at 18 by saying, “I think that’s the problem with it because I feel like if a person is old enough to go to war then they should be able to decide if they want to smoke cigarettes, but at the same time I think it’s a positive thing that our city and state governments are trying to do.”

I think the effort to keep cigarettes out of the hands of adolescents too young to make an

informed decision about the possible side effects of smoking is an admirable one. However, I don’t think raising the legal age is the right way to go about it.

A more effective approach would be to educate consumers about the side effects of smoking, like the Truth commercials attempt to do, and dispel the idea that smoking makes you cool.

Today, cigarette companies still have advertisements in popular magazines like Vogue that influence an immense amount of young people to smoke. I think the first step towards decreasing the amount of young people who smoke and become addicted is by reducing the presence of cigarettes in movies, TV shows and magazines.

How NYC handles and enforces this new bill will be interesting to watch and will most likely influence other states to either follow suit or keep the legal age of purchasing cigarettes and tobacco related products at 18, where I believe it should stay.

“Hopefully I’ll retain the weight and become increasingly large. I’m actually in the ‘Perma-bulk Master Race.’”—Wyatt McMurry, senior

“I don’t at all. Not even a little.”—Mai Garti-Bar, sophomore

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

MBFGC:

“Prairie state” legalizes gay marriage

By Colin Casey Asst. Sports Editor

When I took this column on, I said that I would never write about marriage laws. I have always felt that gay marriage was a voterfriendly issue. While important, I hold that other issues, such as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and a rise in homeless LGBT youth are more pressing in terms of “equality.” But now, I will write on this subject for one reason, my home state of Illinois has approved gay marriage.

The first reason it is important is because my home state has finally approved marriage equality after a fight spanning over a decade. The second reason is that Illinois politics, as I understood them, would never have approved the measure in the first place.

Illinois is a conservative state.

Republican nominees tend to win bigger state elections and carry values that are considered far-right on the political spectrum. Typically, these conservatives have a strong say in the state government and would likely control it if not for one small, lakefront reason.

Chicago lies in Illinois boundaries.

Chicago has been a safe bastion for the Democratic Party since the early 20th century. An electorate mix of immigrant groups, union workers, and a strong AfricanAmerican population has ensured the city stay blue. Add in a political machine in the mayoral office and the picture becomes fairly self explanatory: whatever the Democrats want will be enforced in Chicago.

The influence of the city has ensured Speaker Michael J. Madigan, a Democrat from the city, control of the Illinois House since 1993. The last three governors have been from the city. The high population skews seats to the favor of Democrats so much that as recently as last year,

Republicans filed a motion for Chicago to become its own state.

Yet, even in its traditional democratic leanings, Chicago stacks the cards against the idea of gay marriage. The split is most clearly seen in the city’s North-South division.

A good portion of the city’s well-todo live on the North Side, typically the more tolerant, affluent section; this is also where Chicago’s gay district lies. But the city’s strong Democratic base comes from the blue-collar South Side. LGBT rights and individuals are more of a joke here. To put it lightly, if you didn’t play as the starting nose tackle for Mount Carmel, St. Rita or Brother Rice you were queer.

The conservatism found here is in an odd place, African American churches. The black community of Chicago is a tight-knit group and often the church lies at the center of the community. Being a pastor therefore gives a minister significant pull over local politicians from their district. And they do not think highly of gay marriage as an issue; in fact the main opposition to the Illinois law was from representatives of traditionally black districts who were threatened with the loss of church endorsement should they support the bill.

In spite of all the opposition, gay marriage is finally approved.

To be honest, Illinois really had to, as Illinoisans we can accept when California or New York take the prerogative, but New Jersey and Minnesota beat us to the punch on this. That is a step too far.

Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled for LGBT couples across the state who can now be joined in matrimony. Even though my opinion on the definition of equality has not changed. I couldn’t be happier for them.

Despite my happiness, I also understand that gay marriage is a good first step, but true equality is a far ways away. As long as a person can be fired for their sexuality, rejected by their own family for who they are or fear a prevalent disease with no cure there is no equality.

But marriage is a good start, and I can dream can’t I? And if it can happen in a bonkers state where even the traditional supporters of gay marriage bite their tongues, it can happen anywhere.

courtesy of audubonsociety’s Instagram A hatched egg showing signs of spring.

Audubon society cont.

From AUDUBON, page 9

in the past year. These projects included shooting down Evergladescompromising legislation, campaigning for better water quality and preserving thousands of “special areas” for the long term. It was clear that Draper didn’t want the progress to end there, ending his speech by saying, “You can save the environment today, but you have to be prepared to save it again tomorrow.” What better way to inspire hundreds of bird-loving environmentalists than a quote like that?

This conference was a reminder to myself — and probably a lot of other people — as to why I decided to get into conservation. I could see

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the results of thousands of people’s hard work and was able to meet the people that had made it all a reality. This society of bird watchers is really one of the greatest organizations that Florida could ask for. The compassion that each and every member has for conservation is inspiring and in the face of industrialization these people have only become more compassionate. Florida’s natural lands are in danger, but with the help of The Florida Audubon Society we can bring an end to habitat destruction, and plus, we get to watch the birds along the way.

For more information on The Florida Audubon Society, you can visit their website at www.fl.audubon.org.

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#Amusing Musings Here is where we immortalize the funniest quotes from EC students and faculty. No names, no shame.

Follow us on twitter: @TheECCurrent Marine science professor: If you had to infect yourself with a parasite, I would recommend a tapeworm. #WeightLossTip

History Professor: I saw you texting during the lecture. I was going to stop you, but I loved the way you were multitasking. #TextingDuringClass

Marine science professor: Other parasites castrate their host. Now that’s gotta suck.

political issues

Include full name, graduation year and contact information Faculty and staff should include their title, department and contact information

#HostProblems

ASPEC mentorship creates opportunities From ASPEC, page 9

in her life. The ASPEC program is an amazing part of Eckerd that prior to this year I hardly knew anything about, and through Kyle I have been able to more fully understand just how ASPEC makes Eckerd stand out to the experienced learning community.

Our campus is one of only a few schools around the country with this type of program, so people from all over St. Petersburg, as well as from other parts of the country, join the program for the chance to

continue studying here at Eckerd alongside us.“It seems like a really great way to get to know the older people who are learning here as well as get involved with a whole new part of campus,” Sophomore Olivia Coleman said. And through this new program we as students have a chance to take advantage of this amazing group of people who study only a few minutes walk from us.

The ASPEC members at Eckerd are some of the most interesting people I’ve ever talked to. Each of them has their own success story,

from serving in the Peace Corps to starting their own businesses; ASPEC has many men and women with many stories to tell and much advice to give. This mentor-mentee program is an excellent way to get students on campus more involved with the senior professionals and an excellent resource for any student looking to make a new friend and meet some interesting people.

If you’d like to join contact Julia C. Lewis at: lewisjc@eckerd.eduu

runDisney marathon creates lasting memories

By Alex Zielinski Graphics Editor Over the past weekend, my brother and I participated in our first half marathon at Walt Disney World. The Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend is just one of seven runDisney race weekends spread throughout the calendar year, and happened to be my third event with them. The Wine and Dine Half Marathon was my final night race with runDisney, as I’ve already run the Tower of Terror 10-Miler and Expedition Everest Challenge this past year. I was excited as the weekend drew closer and my brother arrived.

We headed to Orlando Friday and went to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports for packet pick-up and the health and fitness expo. The past two expos I have been to were not particularly crowded, but this one was packed. However, runDisney’s organization made it relatively quick and simple to get all our materials for the race. We decided to check out the rest of the expo, where I bought a 13.1 runDisney magnet for my car, and then quickly left for the hotel to rest and relax.

On Saturday night, a total of 14,000 runners descended upon the Wide World of Sports for the start of the race. Disney characters were out and about for pictures before the race and I made sure to get a picture with Chef Mickey himself. Around 9 p.m. we were quickly ushered into our starting corrals.

At 10 p.m, Chef Mickey and Minnie sent the runners off on the 13.1 mile course to the sound of music from Fantasia and Ratatouille, with fireworks overhead in true Disney fashion. I was off and on my way to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the first of three theme parks we would be

running through that evening. The majority of the course through Animal Kingdom was similar to the Expedition Everest Challenge which I ran this past May with the rest of my family. Coming out of the first theme park, we were then on our way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. One doesn’t typically think of Florida as hilly, but after seven or so miles, even the slightest incline of a highway overpass feels monstrous.

As we entered Hollywood Studios behind the Tower of Terror, we were at the finish line of my first runDisney race. We ran through the Back Lot Tour and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, which was already on for the holiday season. As we exited Hollywood Studios, we made our way down the Boardwalk and onto EPCOT. Thousands of spectators were spread along the course, but

most watched the final stretch.

We entered the World Showcase, ran through Future World, past Spaceship Earth, and to the finish line right outside the park.

Medal in hand, I went and searched for my brother as it was time for the after party.

EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival is an annual event where countries from around the world offer cuisine and drinks from their respective countries. Exhausted, my brother and I didn’t stay long, but we walked around some of the countries and rode a few attractions. After a long day and night, we headed back to the comfort of our hotel room for a much needed rest. My next runDisney event will be the Coast to Coast Challenge, which involves running a half at Walt Disney World and another half at Disneyland.

photo by Alex Zielinski Runners run through the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.

12 Viewpoints

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Trip to disability camp helps student find meaning

By Buster Thompson Contributing Writer

With no experience in caring for people with disabilities and three massive duffel bags, I arrived in Chicago O’Hare airport towards the end of May with a four hour bus ride ahead of me. It rained the entire way, but a seemingly never-ending bus ride and the uncertainty of what we were about to get ourselves into brought ten strangers closer together.

Perched high on Wisconsin’s southwestern bluffs, overlooking the small town of Prairie du Chien, is an even smaller summer camp called Wisconsin Badger Camp (WBC). Hidden behind crop farms and gravel roads are lodges made from cedar and sheds storing old tents and sleeping bags permeating with the familiar scent of campfires and s’mores.

Summer camps have always been an outlet for children after a trying year of school, but not all camps are built for children. WBC is a private, non-profit camp founded in 1966 with the sole purpose of granting people with disabilities the ability to escape the world for one week. For 10 weeks of this past summer, I had the privilege of being introduced to campers who wanted nothing more than to be loved and cared for.

The camp’s prerogative was to ensure that human beings with these often overlooked disabilities were not forgotten. Staff at WBC never turn any applicant away, no matter the severity of the camper’s diagnosis, no matter the age and no matter their financial capabilities.

Campers arrive with physical, mental and/or behavioral diagnoses, ranging from ADHD and tourette’s syndrome to schizophrenia and dissociative personality disorder.

Eckerd fueled my own desires to help those in need and has always asked more from me than what I expected. As a senior, I have always been reminded that there are other people in the world who are challenged by economic and social situations and always welcome others who are willing to help them.

Individuals with mental and physical disabilities are no different.

I discovered the camp through Eckerd’s monthly internship packet and although this job had nothing to do with my major, I decided to press on with the interview and my unknown future because I knew in the end that I would help others.

Our first week at camp was an orientation week for the close to 75 staff members. We had one week to familiarize ourselves with first aid, C.P.R., behavioral management, dietary concerns, personal care, wheelchair transfers, lost camper procedures (which we never had to actually perform) and other procedures necessary to run an efficient summer camp.

When the first campers of the summer arrived in the buses and vans of their respective group homes and family members I saw tired and anxious faces. I looked around at the bewildered staff members as men and women in their forties onward were lowered down from buses, fighting with their caregivers and mumbling to themselves as if they were talking to another person. We were in over our heads.

I was speechless at the individuals who were going to spend just one week with us. I asked myself how did I not notice people like this before. The answer I gave myself was painfully honest: I ignored them.

The camp had two major positions, not including the on-site nurses, who dealt directly with the campers themselves: camp counselors and camp activity directors. A camp counselor had the difficult job of caring for three to four campers, depending on the amount of care the campers required. This included personal care, feeding in some cases and staying up long hours just so their campers could go to sleep.

As a nature director, one of six activity directors at WBC, my job was to organize and oversee programs that used the camper’s motor and communication skills, while teaching them how to make ice cream, set up tents, build a fire and navigate trails. I also had the

courtesy of Buster Thompson Thompson with three campers at WBC.

privilege of cleaning a small barn containing a multitude of domesticated animals, and some not so domesticated. This barn was used so that campers were able to interact closely with animals.

Every day I made sure that the campers around me were happier than the day before. Although my mind and body became drained further each day, I kept going because these men, women and children who came to this camp might not be able to make it another year.

At the end of each week, I saw campers crying on the laps of their counselors begging them not to send them back to their group homes or their own families. Was this because we did a great job? I believed the answer to be “no.” I saw this not as a job anymore after a few weeks, but as an act of kindness. A kindness not motivated by anything except for the desire to express love to another human being, who for

much of their lives rarely got it.

I will never forget the night I sat beside a camper with schizophrenia who cried at the unexplained voices and noises he was hearing.

In school I learned that these were called audible hallucinations, but I wasn’t going to tell him that these voices didn’t exist. This would probably make matters worse. All I could do was hold his hand, and tell him everything is going to be all right until his eyes slowly closed.

All I could do was help him, a man I’ve never met before in my life.

I left WBC in the middle of August with memories that I will not soon forget, if at all. I made friends with staff members and campers who made more of an impact on me than anyone I’ve ever met, some I will never see again. I touched the lives of those who couldn’t see me, hear me or even remember me and that was all I could have wished for.

The two flights back to Florida

were like a dream. I kept telling myself that I did a good thing, that I did something great for people who were left in the darkness of group homes since their own parents had abandoned them when they were teenagers. I wish I could still be there. I wish that for a few more weeks I could give attention to someone who wanted solely another person by their side.

For students rising through Eckerd’s curriculum in the search for something greater, never forget that what we are studying helps not only us but the world as well. At WBC, I got to put into practice what I had learned here at Eckerd and the memories I have from this incredible experience are unforgettable.

No matter our pursuits in life, we begin each one with uncertainty and hesitation, and in the prime of our lives we’ll look back and realize that’s what made us and our communities great.

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Entertainment 13

Nov. 15, 2013

Entertainment YouTube is seeing “Green”: alumnus Hank Green shines with internet fame

By Kara Brown Contributing Writer Alumnus Hank Green (‘02) wears many hats: vlogger, producer, innovator, Emmy-winner and internet celebrity. But once upon a time, he wore a hat all of us plan to wear: an Eckerd graduation cap. However, like the pixilated YouTube videos of 2007, Green has come a long way in the almost 12 years since his days at Eckerd.

As a student, Green, who graduated with a degree in biochemistry, took the laidback route of Eckerd life.

“My memories center around my dorm room, playing N64 and latenight cramming sessions. Playing ultimate Frisbee in bare feet and risking the inevitable fire ant attack was about the extent of my risk taking. My roommate once paddled a latex mattress out into the bay with his girlfriend though. I am here to assure you, those things are not water-tight, they barely made it back.”

During his time at Eckerd, Green was involved with a shortlived club called “Resist to Exist.” He recalled it as an important part of his development as a leader, especially as he “learned the difference between what I couldn’t do and what I was afraid to do, which are different things.”

Green also said that it was “a difficult position to be in charge of an activist, anti-establishment organization in the aftermath of [Sept.

11]. I learned a lot about culture and what paths really do not work when trying to encourage intel-

ligent discourse.” When not beating his high scores or resisting existence, Green, like all of us, spent a good amount of time in classes.

“I’m going to say it, even though a lot of students might laugh at me, but my best class was Western Heritage,” he said. “Dr. [Harry] Ellis taught me that I could defy expectations, and also what it feels like to disappoint a professor. Not just to fail, but to really underwhelm.

“The difference is the expectation. He expected me to be great, and was sad when I did not push as hard as I needed to, or I could have,” Green said. “Plus, WHGC was an amazingly important first step into understanding the world much more broadly than I ever had.”

The only thing that “disappointed” me concerning Green was not convincing him to be a physics major. I’m happy that he has positive memories of our freshman class.”

In 2007, Green started a vlog (video blog) with his brother John Green, Printz Award-winning and The New York Times best-selling author of “The Fault in Our Stars.”

Originally, the vlog was a sort of experiment between the brothers to see if they could go an entire year communicating through daily vid-

eos, face-to-face visits and the occasional phone call. But their daily exchange quickly grew into something much more than just keeping in touch when Green’s song, “Accio Deathly Hallow,” a fan’s ballad about the last installment of Harry Potter was a featured video on YouTube.

That small bit of recognition rocketed the brothers to internet fame, and over the last six years Green has been involved in numerous projects as a result. The fan community surrounding the vlogging duo called Nerdfighters now numbers over 1.5 million worldwide, and they have been the biggest cheerleaders for many of the Green brothers’ endeavors. From a record company for internetbased musicians, to an international conference about YouTube, See GREEN, page 15

Time Lord celebrates 50 years of adventure

By Hailey Escobar Asst. Entertainment Editor It was 50 years ago that two British school teachers followed mysterious student Susan Foreman to an old police telephone box. Little did they know, by entering the “bigger on the inside” box they would embark on an adventure through time and space. Here they would be guided by a strange alien known only as “The Doctor.”

“Doctor Who” is the longest running science fiction television series in history. It follows the doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, and his various companions on their adventures throughout time and space. They travel in a ship called the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space), which looks like a 1960s police phone box on the outside.

Episodes have taken viewers to different dimensions, planets and even included major historical figures such as Vincent Van Gogh, Winston Churchill and Shakespeare.

The show also includes terrifying aliens and enemies of the doctor. Some of the fiercest monsters have been Cybermen, the Weeping Angels and the doctor’s ultimate enemy, the Daleks.

“I got into Doctor Who because I had had an interest in it for a while and when I came to Eckerd I had friends that were already into it, so I started watching on Netflix and became addicted,” Sopho-

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more Andrea Petruccelli said.

“It’s incredibly well written and thought out. It’s amazing to watch the doctor visit endless worlds and so many different times.”

Since its premiere in 1963, 12 different actors have also portrayed the title character. The first was William Hartnell, who continued to portray the character until 1973, even after being replaced by Peter Troughton in 1966. The show went off the air in 1989, but then returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccelston.

The current doctor, Matt Smith, is the youngest to take on the role and will be leaving the show during the Christmas special later this year a decision that made major headlines in British news.

It was announced Aug. 4 that actor Peter Capaldi would take over.

“Doctor Who” has not only become a staple of British popculture, but it has also become a global phenomenon. The doctor’s 50th anniversary episode will be aired simultaneously in at least 75 countries including the U.S. Events to celebrate the milestone have taken place throughout the year all over the world including a light show held in Sydney back in May. Even in the Tampa Bay area, Whovians, as the fans like to be called, come together to celebrate the beloved series at the Time Lord Fest-Tampa, which took place Nov. 9. The event included a “Science of Doctor Who” panel from Dr. Geek’s Lab, cosplay contests, Time

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page 15

Arcade Fire review

page 15

No-Shave Nov. trim guide page 16

photo courtesy of hankgreen’s instagram Hank Green holds his Emmy, coming a long way in the 12 years since his Eckerd days.

“I took a lot of classes at Eckerd that didn’t just explain the world, they stoked my curiosity and left me with a deep understanding of how complicated and beautiful all disciplines are.”

— Hank Green And since his days as an Eckerd student, Green has been doing just that.

“I remember Hank quite well, but my memory does not include the word ‘disappointment,’” Ellis said. “I must have given one of his papers a B or B plus instead of his (and my) expected A. Hank was a thinker even as a freshman, and would really engage and question the ideas that he encountered in the works we read. He was a delight to have in class.

INSIDE ENTERTAINMENT Brownie recipe

Lord combat and even a full sized TARDIS for fans to take pictures with.

Some may ask what has kept this show going for so long and has allowed it to spread around the world. “I think it’s been successful because people just really love adventure and the idea of there being this whole other side to the universe is enough to make anyone want to keep watching,” Sophomore Samantha Brito said.

All of the celebrations will be leading up to the anniversary episode that is to be aired Nov. 23, the same day the first episode, “The Unearthly Child,” premiered. Little has been said or shown about the episode, but the few imphoto by Hailey Escobar ages that have been released hint that the epi- Sophomore Andrea Petruccelli finds a little “Weeping Angel” Violet Hill at the Tampa Time Lord Fest. sode will deal with the the season 7 finale “The Name of war that destroyed the doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. the Doctor,” but fans have been left One thing fans can’t wait to see wondering the nature of this doctor.

Over the past 50 years, the docis the return of the tenth doctor, David Tennant, and his companion tor has taken fans all over the uniRose Tyler, played by Billie Piper. verse and beyond. The show has They will be joining Smith and captured the imagination of the current companion Clara Oswald, world and continues to surprise Jenna Louise Coleman, as well as viewers with every twist and turn. a new, unknown doctor played by If only we had a TARDIS to see John Hurt. Hurt was featured in where this franchise goes next.

promotional photo Album artwork for the Avett Brothers.

New album from Avett Brothers delivers another bluegrass classic

By Jennifer Lincoln Staff Writer Since the Avett Brothers released “Four Thieves Gone” in 2006, I’ve become completely and utterly enthralled with their music.

The Avett Brothers have a consistent quirky charm that exudes from their music. There’s something imperfect about every song they come out with, making their music resound with listeners on a more personal and emotional level.

I fell in love with the twangy bluegrass sound of their early music, but in 2009 they began to work with producer Rick Rubin, who started to change their sound starting with their album “I and Love and You,” including more piano and drum set pieces in their ensembles.

This irritated a lot of original fans who appreciated the sound that made the band famous, and there was a good amount of apprehension for the release of their newest album, “Magpie and the Dandelion,” which came was released Oct. 15.

Sophomore Karl Mitchell, one of those fans, said, “It’s a little disappointing compared to their old music, but it is still a pretty all right CD. It reminds me of a rich man’s version of an Anne Frank and the Striped Pajamas CD.” Despite reservations surrounding the album release, I found that the majority of “Magpie and the Dandelion” was surprisingly just as honest and intricate as the best of their released music.

“This album is very honest and emotionally driven,” Sophomore Annabelle Sweetall said. “It is easy to tap into the band’s head space.”

The song that has taken off the most from the album, “Another is Waiting,” by far the most catchy, was easy to identify as having a heavy inSee BROTHERS, page 16

14 Entertainment

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

ECKERD EVENTS

To have your event added to the calendar, email currententertainment@eckerd.edu.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

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17

18

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4:30 p.m.

PWP

1 p.m.

Women’s Rugby 3 p.m.

Men’s Rugby

Noon Ian’s Holistic Workout @ Sunken Garden

5:30 p.m.

Hoop Jam

7 p.m.

International Film

7 p.m.

WECX Soundtrack Sunday

11 a.m.

Jungle Boogie @ Boyd Hill

5:30 p.m.

EC Trade Circle Gathering

15 10 p.m.

Drag Queen Bingo

22

9 p.m.

Thanksgiving Movie and Card Making

23

7 p.m.

International Film 9 p.m.

Latin Night

7 p.m.

Invisible Children Screening

24

2 p.m.

Women’s Rugby 7 p.m.

Water Ecuador Benefit Concert

Noon Special Olympics Training Day

25 7:30 p.m.

Open Mic Night @ Everything Dolce

8 p.m.

Open Mic Night

26

27

28

5:30 p.m.

Hoop Jam

7 a.m.

Breakfast with the Mayor @ Kay’s Kitchen

Thanksgiving 5:30 p.m.

EC Trade Circle Gathering 8 p.m.

Karaoke

The St. Pete Sampler Sandwich stops

You can call them subs, heroes, wedges, hoagies or just a plain sandwich. Sometimes all you need in life is a good one. Check out these various sandwich stops to fulfill your needs that come between two pieces of bread. From New York themed delis, a cafe and a country store, the city of St. Petersburg has a lot to offer for your sandwich fixation.

Robin Thicke decided not to perform with Miley Cyrus at the MTV European Music Awards.

Tom Cruise compares his work as an actor to fighting in Afghanistan.

Emilia Clarke testing for the role of Sarah Connor in an upcoming Terminator movie.

Disney delays Star Wars Episode VII release.

Justin Bieber kicked out of a hotel in Argentina because of rowdy fans.

A.

C.

D.

Seth MacFarlane to make a new animated “comedy” series.

Natalie Portman working on a feature length film for her directorial debut.

Home Depot tweets a racist picture.

THE TIPSY TRITON

B.

Cocktails & Mixed Drinks Palm Hammock Slammer

Fire Turkey

• 32 ounce or any size container • Wild Turkey 101 of malt liquor • Ghost pepper flakes • limeade • Worcestershire sauce • 1 oz. vodka • Habanero sauce • 1 oz. tequila • one jalapeño

Pour Wild Turkey 101 into a cup on the rocks. Add a dash of worcestershire Use a half full 32 ounce container of any sauce and two dashes of habanero preferred malt liquor beverage. Pour sauce. Sprinkle ghost pepper flakes liblimeade, an ounce of tequila and an erally into the mix and toss freshly cut ounce of vodka until the container is jalapeño slices into the drink. Breathe full again. Enjoy responsibly. fire responsibly.

A. NY Cafe 6630 Central Avenue 17 mins from campus Tue to Fri 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sat 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

2 stars $$ Beer and Wine Only

B. Bay Way Country Store 5401 Leeland Street South 4 mins from campus Mon to Sat 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sun 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

4 1/2 stars $$

C. Lucky Dill 277 Central Ave 12 mins from campus Mon to Wed 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thu 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Fri to Sat 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sun 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3 stars $ Beer and Wine Only

D. Lonni’s Sandwiches 425 Central Ave 11 mins from campus Mon to Fri 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

3 1/2 stars $

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Entertainment 15

Escape into the garden

By Caroline McAndrew Contributing Writer

Sometimes the confines of Eckerd’s beautiful, but repetitive campus can get boring. Campus Activities and other organizations make efforts to keep students occupied and involved with Eckerd life. Despite the lively vibe campus activities bring, Eckerd may at times appear drab.

Living in a dorm room certainly gives you limited time to reflect on your day, and it may give you a sense of cabin fever. Perhaps you’ve felt like Jack Nicholson’s character in “The Shining,” in which Nicholson goes insane due to his impending cabin fever.

If you ever feel that sudden urge to get out of “The Eckerd Bubble,” go relax and rejuvenate your senses at the Sunken Gardens, the jungle within the urban jungle that is downtown St. Petersburg.

The surprisingly touristy sign and parking lot seem more like a restaurant than a hidden gem, but the entrance merely conceals the botanical

wonderland growing out back.

As I brushed past the entrance, the greenness of the garden captured me and transported me out of the hectic realm of downtown St. Petersburg, bringing me to a peaceful sanctuary.

Giant Elephant Ear plants and small reptiles hide in its rich moist soil. If I ever go to a tropical rainforest, I am almost certain it would smell like the Sunken Gardens. The damp woody aroma only does a better job transporting you to another time and place, one that provides solitude and inner peace.

Over 100 years old, this botanical garden is home to some “50,000 tropical plants and flowers” according to the Sunken Gardens webpage at www.st.pete.org.

I was lucky enough to go the day of the Downtown St. Petersburg Yoga Festival, which hosted an assortment of yoga and spiritual classes in different areas of the garden. Throughout the day, chants were whistled through the wind as people took group meditation and yoga classes. All ages were invited to participate in yoga classes and food vendors

from the Saturday Morning Market came to show their support for this festival.

Vandana, who stated she had no last name and also created and led this festival said she and her husband started it in 2011. Vandana, who teaches at the Sunken Gardens weekly for yoga instruction thought this was “the most beautiful place to do yoga in the Tampa Bay area.” This prompted her to start this festival. photo by Caroline McAndrew “We did it for the A yoga exercise at the Sunken Garden.

Yoga and other types of classpurpose of community, bringing people together, and es, like hooping classes, are ofsharing yoga with anybody, and fered every day of the week. It is just show that yoga is not just a great way to get off campus and about bending backwards. It’s do something to enhance your not about crazy shapes and twist- knowledge of local St. Petersburg.

Classes schedules and subjects ing yourself into a pretzel, it’s all kinds of things,” Vandana said. vary as well as price of admission.

Arcade Fire returns with “Reflektor”

By Hayden Johnson Asst. Entertainment Editor

Arcade Fire’s new album “Reflektor” is a trance inducing and hypnotizing installment in the band’s discography. The 13-track album feels like a surreal late night drive alone, the kind of drive where you find yourself. It is the kind of album worth listening alone in the dark for the full approximate 75 minutes. The blend of instrumentation, electronic effects and even languages will take you on a musical journey.

For those not familiar with Arcade Fire, they are a six-person band hailing from Montreal.

Some of their notable works include their albums “Funeral,” “Neon Bible” and “The Suburbs.” One of the causes for their mainstream success was their song “Wake Up,” which probably everyone and their cousins listened to after seeing the trailer for Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” What really makes this album worth a full consecutive listening is how well the tones of the different songs work with

Arcade Fire’s six members.

each other. The album starts you off with bongos, synth textures and then gradually builds up in the song “Reflektor.”

As you get a bit further into the album you will encounter “Here Comes The Night Time,” which starts off with a plethora of voices and effects followed by a ripping guitar that sinks into a bass heavy groove. The song drifts between heavier instrumentation and digital effects.

Later on in the album the song “Porno” takes on a completely synth, heavy, slow, beat.

promotional photo

The overall sound of the album will lure those who like electronic and alternative rock music.

The lyrical dynamic of the album is also another part that makes “Reflektor” worth listening to. As mentioned before, their songs contain a mix of languages. The most prolific example of this can be found in the song “Joan of Arc.” The chorus has Win Butler singing “Joan of Arc” and Régine Chassagne responding “Jeanne d’Arc.” The song continues into a verse sung by Chassange in French.

One of the most powerful songs on the album is titled “Afterlife” in reference to the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

The lyrics can also be seen as conveying the conflict between two lovers. One voice says, “Can we work it out? We scream and shout ‘till we work it out,” while the other says, “When love is gone, where does it go? Where do we go?” The strong emotions and tonal intensity helps make a great ending to the album as it fades into the mostly instrumental song “Supersymmetry.”

Arcade Fire’s “Reflektor” is a great album as a whole. The various combinations of genres and sounds will keep you engaged with the music. All the layers of effects, sounds and lyrics gives this album a quality that is worth listening to multiple times through. It’s not an album where all the songs sound the same, but they stay on a consistent path enough to work together as the album as a total piece of art. “Reflektor” is full of music you can chill to, tap your foot to, to get stuck in your head and most importantly enjoy on many different levels.

Caramel brownies after Halloween

By Gary Furrow Jr Quickie Editor Just because Halloween is over does not mean you can’t enjoy a rich caramel apple.

But with all the mess and goo, does one really want to have to deal with this old time treat?

In brownie form, one can make this treat easier for entertaining and taking on the go to class. This recipe is semi-homemade and is easy to make and combines caramel apples, brownies and pretzels.

Cooking equipment: • Oven • Bowls • Measuring cups • 5 in. by 9 in. cake pan • Paper towels • Two spoons • Knife • Spatula • One plastic “Ziploc” bags • Mixer (optional) Ingredients: • One box mix of “Betty Crocker’s” fudge brownie mix • Two eggs • 1/4 cup of water • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil • Half of an apple chopped up • Three tablespoons of applesauce • 1/3 of a regular sized bag of pretzels • One bottle of caramel hard shell (found in the ice cream section) • Substitute any brands for your preferred option Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put the pretzels into a Ziploc bag, seal and then crush with a spoon until they are chunks. This will be used for the frosting at the end.

3. Pour the powder brownie mix into the bowl. Then mix in the applesauce, water, oil and eggs with a spoon or a mixer until there are no lumps. Pour into a greased cake pan and bake for as long as the brownie mix box says to.

4. Take out of the oven after they’re done baking and let cool for about 10 minutes.

This is important because the brownies need time to set and cool before icing, or else a mess will follow.

5. Frost the brownies with the caramel shell liquid on top with the spatula and before it hardens pour in the apple chunks and pretzels as garnish and then wait till the shell hardens 10 or so minutes and enjoy.

Bakers Note: To make vegan, just leave out the eggs. The applesauce will act as the riser.

Eckerd class of ‘02 alumnus finds internet sucess From GREEN, page 13

to the launch of two education channels on YouTube, Green is arguably the busiest and most indemand creator in online video.

With as many projects as Green has, he has had to learn to delegate since now he has a more behind the scenes role. “[It] is extremely rewarding, but completely different than interacting directly with an audience. I give up the lion’s share of the control to the creators, and it can occasionally rub me the wrong way to see how they’re doing things, but I have to trust them.

There are many paths to success, and giving people an opportunity they would not otherwise have is deeply rewarding in a way I have found nothing else to be ever.”

One of the many projects that Green has worked on behind the

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scenes is “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” a web series adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”

“The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” was recently honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Interactive Media Peer Group for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media. The Web series, developed by both Hank Green and Bernie Su, won a Creative Arts Emmy for Original Interactive program. Green said, “The biggest challenge with any project that you can’t do on your own is finding the right people and convincing them that it’s worth working with you. I realized that ‘Pride and Prejudice’ would make an excellent video blog series years before I was able to pull it off. I needed credibility, connections and money. In the end, I knew a good writer, I got

Visit us online at www.theonlinecurrent.com

him drunk, I pitched the idea, and I had the credibility and the money to make it happen while Bernie had the majority of the connections.”

Green was on a plane when he found out that “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” won the Emmy Award. “I’d just landed back home in Missoula [Montana] after a three-week long trip in the UK,” he said. “I turned on my phone and there was a text message from Bernie waiting for me. My wife was not sitting next to me, so I had to text her about it. When we met up in the terminal she was like, ‘Like...are there special online video Emmy’s?’ and I was like, ‘No, it’s a for-real, regular-old Emmy, like the one John Stewart wins every year.’”

For students who may be interested in getting involved in YouTube on a more professional level

Green offered this advice, “I definitely suggest you get involved, it’s a great and growing industry.

There are internships, especially in LA, but there are also internships available right in your own room, in the form of doing it yourself, or with a small group of others. Make things, imagine your audicourtesy of the Eckerd College Yearbook ence complexly, think hard, Green with fellow Eckerd students. create, build. I have never found a better path to learning world, they stoked my curioshow to do something than doing it. ity and left me with a deep unAnd while his internet fame derstanding of how complicated will no doubt continue to grow, and beautiful all disciplines are. I at heart Green always remem- took religious studies classes and bers the things he learned here philosophy alongside my physical during his days as a Triton. chemistry, and those insights af“I took a lot of classes at Eck- fect my personal life as well as my erd that didn’t just explain the professional endeavors every day.”

16 Entertainment

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Style under the sun: Growing beards for cancer awareness

By Shannon Vize Viewpoints Editor & Fashion Columnist It’s that time of year again and no, I’m not referencing Thanksgiving or the coolingtemperatures.

It’s November, which means only one thing: “NoShave November” is upon us.

Personally, I am not the biggest fan of facial hair or a month set-aside for all my male friends to suddenly try to become mountain men. However, instead of being some strange college tradition male students came up with, the 30 day hiatus from shaving actually stems from a small group of men in Australia seeking to draw attention to men’s health.

It started out in Australia as “Movember,” where a small group of men decided to grow out moustaches for the entire month to draw awareness and support for testicular cancer and other men’s health issues. This movement became rapidly popular and now the group has over one million members and has raised over $141 million dollars for men’s health programs and research.

Once “Movember” reached the U.S., it became known as

promotional photo Scott Avett, Seth Avett and Bob Crawford during a promotional photoshoot.

Fans enjoy new Avett Brothers album From BROTHERS, page 13

courtesy of bradley_cooper’s instagram A celebrity example of “trimming allowed” method.

“No-shave November” and instead of just leaving the moustache, American men decided to forgo shaving their entire face.

To sum it up, November has become the unofficial month for testicular cancer awareness, along with other men’s health problems. Like pink ribbons in October, not shaving in November has become a way to show support for the cause. Since many jobs in the workplace require a clean-shaven look, a majority of those sporting the no-shave look are male college students.

Now that I know the origins of “No-Shave November,” I am much more apt to support my male counterparts who decide to put the razor down for a few weeks.

Here are a few tips and tricks around the no-shaving rule to keep you looking great all month long.

1. Commit to the full beard: If you are going to dedicate a month to not shaving, I say go all out. Why stop at a moustache or some stubble? You have 30 days set aside to grow the best, most mountain manworthy beard, so do it. Really put the razor down courtesy of zackgalifianakis’sinstagram for the entire month and see what you can come up with by Actor Zack Galifianakis sports his full grown. Nov. 30. You may be surprised

to find that you can grow something comparable to Zach Galifianakis’s famous facial hair.

2. Try out the original “Movember” concept: If a full beard is a little too much or becomes a little too patchy for your liking, then there’s no shame in growing out the best moustache your face can handle. Honestly, an impressive moustache on a guy is hard to come by from a girl’s perspective, since it isn’t the most common look. So be bold, grow out the fullest moustache you can muster (think Burt Reynolds). It is the vintage look that got “No-Shave November” its start in the U.S. 3. Trimming is allowed: There’s no official rulebook to “No-Shave November.” The only technical rule is in the title. But I don’t think there is anything wrong with a little trim here and there if having a wild, scratchy mane on your face isn’t your favorite thing.

For some inspiration think of Bradley Cooper, who usually sports some subtle stubble, or Thor and Hugh Jackman’s who generally have the perfect middle ground between five o’clock shadow and full on beard.

containing subject matter identical to their earlier discography, centering mostly around the idea that being true to yourself, and who you are, is better than molding yourself to be like the projected ideas of who you should be as seen in the media.

The lyrics, “It’s a fake, it’s a con, the nature of the road you’re on.

Let me see your skeleton well before your life is done” are still deep and reflect the band’s identifying principles. One of my personal favorite songs of the album is “Souls Like Wheels,” a soft ballad accompanied by string instruments.

The song, adapted from their earlier album “The Second Gleam,” is about breaking free and letting go of dark memories. I feel it was not necessary to include this on two albums, when the effort could have been made to create a new song.

Another important song of the album is “Good To You,” a slow melody sung in conjunction with

the piano that follows the promise of fixing a broken relationship. “Apart From Me,” emotional and introspective, seemed to me to be the one song on the album the most like their older songs.

The ballad goes, “Apart from me, I would not dare take someone in love with me where I’m going, the part you’ll see, how true it is and how back then, it possibly was impossible for you or me to know it.”

While true that Rick Rubin’s influence is rampant in this album, the band seems to stick to their guns in most of the songs, clearly emulating the earlier sounds. It’s unfair to criticize a band for changing their sound, because as a person, you change. And when the music one produces is such a visceral thing, it’s only logical that this aspect of your life will grow and evolve as well. Overall, the album is rich in the emotion of the band, sharing their hopes, fears and vices with all of their fans.

promotional photo Avett Brothers performing at Colorado venue Red Rocks Ampitheater.

Viral video update: Loki with kids, Pentatonix goes Daft and a veteran transformed

“Who’s better: Thor or Loki?” uploaded by Comedy Central Nov. 4

“[Official Video] Daft Punk- Pentatonix” uploaded by PTXofficial Nov. 4

“Homeless Veteran Timelapse Transformation” uploaded by RobBlissCreative Nov. 6

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

The quickie

The Quickie 17

There’s always enough time for a quickie

Recycle the news

crossword by Sydney Cavero and Gary Furrow For answers, visit theonlinecurrent.com.

Across 1 Leases 6 Mixes 11 Remembers 13 Sayings 15 Actinium 16 Leave now 17 Hank_____ 18 Artificial intelligence 19 Eastern Asian bird 21 Taboos 23 Sailing boat 25 Diamonds 26 ______ can 27 _______Council 28 Middle of your arm 31 Sight organ 32 Walk slowly 34 “________ Game” 35 Got closer 38 object, linking and embedding 39 Pumpkin _____ 40 ________ Finest 43 A thing above a bed 46 St. Augustine and Tall Fescue 47 ___ Head 49 Painter Richard 51 ____ go 52 Ice ______ 54 ___ Jeeves 55 College of Healthcare Executives 57 A person who works in advertising 58 Slumlord from “Behind The Beautiful Forevers” 59 Saskatchewan 60. “The Gift of the ______” 62 Circulates through a plant 64 Telling __ is 65 Clasps 67 Wears down 69 Corroded 70 Spanish for beautiful

Down 1 “Reduce, re-use,_________” 2 Eckerd College 3 Space administration 4 Network that features Honey Boo Boo 5 Lean 6 To cut down 7 Cowardly Lion and the ________ Man 8 Yucky 9 Blood factor 10 Sushi roll wrap 11 Synthetic fabric 12 Holds on to 13 Superior 14 Mucky water 20 Compass point 22 No 24 Church part 29 Aromas 30 The Bank of Eckerd: ____ Fargo 32 A lion’s hair is called a ________ 33 A cookie with white cream in the center 35 Taylor Swift album 37 Environmental Protection Agency 40 A demo crew 41 A pledge 43 Furrow 44 Parent groups 45 Jewish institute for learning 46 The ___ Ceiling 48 Computer company 50 You can do both on ice, water and land 52 Wary 53 Growl 56 A flightless bird 58 Association 61 Lady Gaga’s new album “____ Pop” 63 Luku dish 66 Copper 68 Identification

Sing, dance and trade

By Gary Furrow Jr. Quickie Editor A community where money is not necessary to get what one desires sounds too good to be true. That fiction is reality for the EC Trade Circle.

The club is a community of students who trade physical goods and services with one another without one single penny in those transactions.

People can trade food, clothes, room decor, kitchen supplies, school books, car rides, tutoring lessons, electronics and more.

“I love that my club creates community on campus,” EC Trade President Shelby Busque said. “I also love that it creates healthy relationships between individuals.

It’s amazing how polite and gracious people are during gatherings.”

Besides not having to spend any money for this club, members do not have to trade to be a part of it or come to every trade event.

“The club’s mission is to provide students with supplies and knowledge through the exchange of knowl-

edge or items,” Busque said. “No cash is used in these transactions. It is a bartering system for college students with lots of stuff and no money. We all have lots of stuff in our dorm rooms that can be traded for something you might need more.”

Without the burden of money one can simply come and hang out and expand their community while showing off their talents. The club urges members to sing and to dance during their trades and other events.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Senior Officer Julia Calder said.

“By joining this club you’re supporting not just a great community builder and resource, but a movement…I think it’s special to be a part of such a social group.”

Trading is not the only thing on the agenda for this social group.

“I would like to hold an event or a movie night concerned with bartering,” Busque said. “I actually have a cousin out in Los Angeles who has started a business based on this idea. I would love to have her talk to a group of us. I think understanding a new out-of-the-box business plan

may be beneficial to many students .”

The circle is based off of an organization called PLAN (The Post-Landfill Action Network) that started in a dorm room at University of New Hampshire.

The concept of the trade circle is to help students reduce, reuse and recycle their own possessions. That has a direct effect on the pocketbooks of Eckerd students and the environment, stopping a lot of harmful waste from entering the Florida landfills, damaging the environment.

“At the core, Trade Circle helps us to reduce, reuse and recycle our possessions,” Calder said. “This reduces waste in landfills and in turn the environment not contributing to the hazardous system this way, everyone wins.” The circle experienced success in previous years.

“Last year was awesome. So many people would show up with a smile, a story: along with some tradeable items,” Busque said. “It is a good hour to relax, make new friends, listen to music, gain new perspectives and shop without the use of

courtesy of EC Trade Circle Facebook EC Trade Circle meets on the quad outside of the pub every second Thursday.

money or a car ride off campus.”

The EC Trade Circle meets every second Thursday 6:30-7:30 p.m. in front of Triton’s Pub. To join the club or for more

info, contact Julia Calder at jacalder@eckerd.edu or Shelby Busque at snbusque@eckerd.edu.

More information is available on Facebook at “EC Trade Circle.”

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

The Quickie 18

Morgan Forni digs deep for oil answers

By Sydney Cavero Quickie Editor While the majority of Eckerd students headed home in the hot, sticky days following last year’s finals, then-Sophomore Morgan Forni stayed behind.

Forni gathered in Galbraith with Professor of Marine Science and Geosciences Gregg Brooks along with the six other students involved in the Natural Sciences Summer Research Program (NSSRP) to discuss a different kind of journey that would occupy the next two months of their lives.

As participants in the NSSRP, each student chose a specific topic for which they completed original, paid research during the months of June and July.

At the end of the process, they made a poster detailing their research and results to present at the annual Eckerd College Natural Science Collegium Research Symposium in the spring, according to Brooks.

While Forni said Brooks allowed them the freedom to choose their specific topic, she wanted a project for which Brooks already had a plan and resources to execute it.

“He was just spouting them off, saying ‘these are the ones I think would be cool to do,’” Forni said, recalling the meeting. “‘If you’re interested in one of those, you can pick it up. If you have a different idea and you wanna come talk to me about it, you can.’

It just depended on what you wanted to do and what you like.”

When Brooks mentioned “the extent to which the BP oil spill impacted bottom sediments in the NE Gulf of Mexico” as a possibility, Forni volunteered.

Much of Forni’s research involved the analysis of cores, which geological scientists use to collect samples of sediment from the ocean floor.

To gain some hands-on experience before beginning her research, she volunteered to go on a four-day boat trip with USF students to learn about the pro-

cess behind their collection.

“We lived on the boat, ate on the boat,” Forni said. “You go out and then when you get to your spot where the cores are supposed to be taken — it doesn’t matter what time it is — you get up and you do it. I had one at 1 a.m. and then there was another one at four in the morning.”

Forni said that most of the cores collected contained a thin line of oil, indicating that the contents of the spill had settled in the area from which the sample was taken.

The cores she studied, however, lacked this line, and it was

this fact along with other geological information that led her to a final conclusion: the sediment in the area that she studied was unaffected by the oil spill.

“This is important,” Brooks said, “as it helps us define the geographic limit(s) of the spill impacts recorded in bottom sediments.”

Summer research, however, was not the first time that Forni had worked with Brooks. From his student to his teaching assistant and, most recently, his research assistant, the marine science major displayed the ambition facilitating her achievements from the beginning.

courtesy of Morgan Forni Forni with Junior Chelsea Kuhs and students from USF on the back of the “Weatherbird II.”

“She is a pleasure to work with,” Brooks said. “She is very dependable, dedicated and independent.

She also has a good sense of humor, which I think is extremely important.”

When Brooks asked her to stay for the summer program, Forni immediately agreed. Allowing Forni and her classmates in the NSSRP to work strictly with professionals and graduate students from USF, the experience proved even more valuable than she had imagined.

Though she learned much important information about her intended field of study, perhaps the most important lesson was about her own interests.

“I found that I really do like the research process,” Forni said.

“The way I look at geology is like it’s a puzzle and a mystery — you have to figure it out. I’ve always liked mysteries and I’ve always liked puzzles and figuring things out like that. With research, that’s what you’re doing.”

Though it was in large part Forni’s determination and devotion that propelled her towards success, she stressed the power of small schools in creating big opportunities.

“That’s why I chose Eckerd, was because we had these small class sizes, and you have a lot better chance of knowing your professor — of them liking you.

That was the best thing about it [researching] — to be able to have the opportunity to do that in undergrad and get paid for it.”

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Nov. 15, 2013

Health & Fitness 19

Health & fitness Lush’s products have proven health benefits

By Sabrina Lolo Health & Fitness Editor Most cosmetics companies are known for testing on animals and create their ingredients from unnatural substances in a lab.

But in 1995, one British company decided to break away from that mold — Lush Cosmetics.

Founded by Mark and Mo Constantine, Lush Cosmetics creates organic makeup and only buys their ingredients from fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. What started off as a single store in Poole, Dorset, has transformed into an international chain with stores in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Japan.

Entering a Lush store can be an experience itself. The store is fragrant and colorful with an extra friendly and knowledgeable staff.

“I really love the atmosphere,” Lush Sales Associate Emily Clahhn said. “It’s not like we’re trying to sell them anything. We actually try to help our customers. It’s not your everyday kind of store.”

When asked about the company’s motto, Clahhn said that the customer is always right.

“We don’t test on animals and most of our products

are vegetarian,” Clahhn said.

What makes Lush so special is that almost all their products have some health benefits as well. The Ocean Salt cleanser has been proven to help with acne and is beneficial to the skin, making it one of Lush’s most popular products.

The sea salts contain minerals that soften skin while also scrubbing away dirt, dead skin and blockages. This cleanser also includes a mix of fresh avocado, coconut, lime and vodka to hydrate dry skin and unclog dirty pores.

Ro’s Argan body conditioner is another hit among customers. A fairly recent invention, this product is made of pure roses, cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil and Argan oils.

“When you’re in the shower and in a hurry, it leaves your skin nice and smooth,” Clahhn said.

The Butterball Bath Bomb, Godiva Chocolate Shampoo and Dream Cream Body Cream are also among their most popular products.

Lush doesn’t just create makeup and bath products; they are also a campaigning company.

They believe in standing up for animal rights, protecting the environment and supporting other humanitarian causes. Shark Sav-

Why having breakfast is good for everyone

By Savannah SpragueJackson Staff Writer Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, according to John Hopkins School of Public Health.

Breakfast has many benefits, it would be ridiculous not eat it.

Skipping breakfast is a poor choice for one’s body.

The body has just gone numerous hours without food through the night, so not eating breakfast at all will leave one tired, hungry and grumpy.

This could lead to eating food high in calories, sugar and fat for lunch or snacking in between meal times. In order for the body to wake up, it needs energy. Healthy food is our body’s energy. Just like an iPhone, your body needs to be charged in order to function.

Breakfast foods contain many daily nutrients, such as protein, vitamins A, C, D, E and K, fiber, potassium and folate. Eating breakfast allows one to concentrate better throughout the day.

Skipping it means that one won’t get the required amount of daily vitamins and minerals. Getting those nutrients is how one gets his or her energy for the morning activities. Without them, the body won’t perform as well.

Each food group — grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables — is vital to a balanced healthy meal. Grains and protein are important as they provide lasting energy. Dairy and eggs are good for calcium as well as vitamin D. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber, plus other vitamins and minerals depending on the veggie. According to John Hop-

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kins School of Public Health, a healthy breakfast is two to three foods from each food group.

Oatmeal has omega-3 fatty acids (the good fat), folate and potassium. Any type of oatmeal is healthy. The worst are the flavored kinds, because they are filled with sugar. The healthiest are steel-cut oats, which take about 15 minutes to cook and one can also add healthy flavoring, like honey.

Whole-wheat bread is better than the white and refined bread, since it has more fiber and nutrients. Rather than eating with sugar-filled jelly and fatty butter, eat with almond butter or fried eggs.

Almond butter is good for vegans because it’s a source of protein that doesn’t come from an animal. It has less saturated fat than peanut butter.

Eat on toast or with a banana.

Cereal can be healthy.

Try a cereal with at least five grams of fiber and at mosts five grams of sugar. Wholewheat or bran cereals are best.

Eat with almond milk and fruit for the perfect breakfast.

Eggs are full of protein and vitamin D. Eat as an omlette with yummy vegetables inside or just boiled.

While orange juice is delicious when freshly squeezed, fortified orange juice has all the vitamin D. One small glass a day is just right, but not to be mistaken as a replacement for fruit.

Grapefruit is great for people looking to lose weight quicker, says one study on “The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance,” since it has fat burning properties. Grapefruit is hydrating, filling and filled with immunity boosting anti-

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ers, Freedom to Marry and The Association for the Protection of FurBearing Animals just to name a few.

They have been against animal testing for the last 30 years and refuse to buy ingredients from suppliers who test anything they produce on any animals no matter the reason. Non-animal methods have been shown to be cheaper, more convenient and scientifically superior.

In 2007, Lush also created the Charity Pot, a hand and body lotion in photo by Hailey Escobar which 100 percent of the purchaseLush products are healthy for customers. in fancy packaging. Lush beprice goes toward supporting humanitarian, envi- lieves more effort should be put ronmental and animal rights both into what’s in the package than locally and around the world. the appearance of the product.

With over 800 stores worldThe nearest store is in wide, Lush is making a global Westshore Mall in Tampa and presence in both makeup and they’re open from 10 a.m. to 9 their commitment to being sus- p.m Monday through Saturday, tainable. Unlike most cosmetics and close at 6 p.m. on Sunday. companies, Lush doesn’t believe oxidants. It is suggested that one eats it with protein (If you are taking prescription drugs, check with your doctor first).

Bananas have potassium and an electrolyte that naturally lowers blood pressure. Bananas are starch resistant, meaning they help people eat less, burn more calories and stay energized. Try eating with oatmeal to sweeten it or in a smoothie.

Watermelon is hydrating and has a nutrient called lycopene that helps vision, the heart and prevents cancer. It’s on the Negative-Calorie Food list, a list of foods that burn more calories than they add.

Blueberries have many antioxidants. They also are low in calories. Put on cereal, in oatmeal or in a smoothie.

Strawberries are low in calories and high in antioxidants.

Only a cup of them will give you your daily recommended amount of vitamin C. According to Doctor OZ, they are a natural teeth whitener. Eat as topping for cereal, oatmeal or any other breakfast food.

Kiwis are a fantastic fruit with 65 milligrams of vitamin C, almost as much as an orange. Plus, it also has potassium, copper and fiber. If you don’t like the tart taste put it in a smoothie or fruit salad.

Raspberries are high not only in fiber and vitamin C, but in vitamin K as well. This is good for stronger bones.

Mix them with cereal, yogurt, oatmeal or smoothie.

Eating a healthy breakfast leads to a positive mindset. It helps regulate blood sugar levels, which plays an important role in maintaining a good mood.

Coffee, however, is not a healthy morning drink; it may wake one up, but is incredibly dehydrating. A better option would be tea as it still has caffeine, but isn’t nearly as dehydrating.

From the iPod of Mitchell Cohan

Tough Mudder tests true strength of Eckerd students

By Nicole Zavala Staff Writer Most people think of Tough Mudder as a race. They think that this event is to test the strength of the individual and it is every person for themselves. However, even though Tough Mudder is 10 miles of sweat, tears and obstacles, it’s also full of camaraderie, humor and perseverance.

The Tough Mudder event for central Florida was held Nov. 2 at the Westgate River Ranch in Riverfield, Fla. Affectionately called the toughest event on the planet, camaraderie is essential for Tough Mudder. ECOS President Brady O’Donnell competed in this year’s Tough Mudder in a team with ECOS Vice President Henry Ashworth, Jeremy Bernfeld and Jared Vick.

“The obstacles were extremely fun and challenging to get through as a team,” O’Donnell said. “Our team focused on teamwork so it wasn’t like how good you could do the obstacle but how well the team could do the obstacle.”

After crossing the finish line, everyone was welcome to the post-party.

O’Donnell said the mood for the after party was “very supportive because everybody knew that everybody had completed it so there was an atmosphere of respect among everybody.”

Ashworth added no one should go through Tough Mudder without a goal.

“I think that Tough Mudder is only really fun if you have a goal you’re trying to accomplish for the team or a goal you’re trying to accomplish for yourself,” Ashworth said.

“It’ll be less rewarding if you did it without a goal or purpose in mind.”

According to the Tough Mudder website, Tough Mudder was created by an operative of the British government named Will Dean who was bored of the typical marathon. He was looking for a more strenuous opportunity

compared to a straight run he believed didn’t truly test someone’s capabilities. He wanted something with obstacles that tested a person’s mental competence as well as physical. So the creation of a greater challenge ensued and Tough Mudder was born.

Dean didn’t want a race; he wanted people to conquer the obstacles and complete Tough Mudder with a sense of overcoming adversity. He designed the courses to bring people together to triumph over fears and weaknesses.

Some of the obstacles include running through fire, climbing over giant bales of hay, swimming in frigid cold water, and crawling under heavy cargo nets.

“The worst part was probably the [electroshock therapy obstacle] shocking,” Eckerd’s ECOS Vice President Henry Ashworth said. “It wasn’t necessarily painful, but it caused your whole body to jump and you scream out even if doesn’t really hurt because it caused your whole body to shake”.

Ashworth also said he wanted a greater challenge since he competed in last year’s Tough Mudder. He wanted to make it more intense so he and fellow Tough Mudder Jared Vick were handcuffed to each other for the entire event.

“We timed it, it was perfect teamwork. It worked out,” Ashworth said.

Testing endurance, resilience and mental strength, one-fifth of Mudders don’t successfully complete the event. However, the Tough Mudder website offers help to get you into shape for their event. Take the “Are You Tough Enough?” quiz to figure out your fitness level and how rigorous your boot camp structure should be.

Even though the 2013 season is coming to a close, it’s possible to pre-register for the 2014 season. Anyone can register as a participant, volunteer, or spectator. It’s also possible to create and join teams with people to make the experience even more memorable.

20 Health & Fitness

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Nov. 15, 2013

Is your label telling you the truth?

By Nicole Zavala Staff Writer

Back in 2009, The New York Times published an article titled, “Safety of Beef Processing Method is Questioned.”

Apparently, the government allowed the meat industry to put ammonia into beef sold to grocery stores, schools and fast food restaurants, claiming it would destroy dangerous bacteria, like salmonella and E. coli.

However, the public was unaware of the ammonia in the meat and it did nothing for safety since these bacteria were found dozens of times when the meat was tested. These industries still allowed the meat to be sold to the general public even though the beef was contaminated.

With the way food corporations and the government controls food these days, like omitting dangerous ingredients on the ingredient list, it’s difficult to say where the food came from or even what is in it. Here’s a short guide to lead through the discrepancies and confusion of the different labels foods have these days.

Organic A food is only completely certified organic if it is labeled as “100 percent Organic.” Don’t trust food that doesn’t have those exact phrases on the packaging. Foods that are labeled as “USDA Organic” are allowed to label themselves as that only if the organic ingredients in them add up to at least 95 percent. Other foods that claim to be organic without the seal only have up to 70 percent of organic ingredients.

Certified organic foods don’t have pesticides and must identify the organic ingredients used, which also have to be certified as organic. The label also needs to be clearly shown on the front of the packaging.

The animals who give us organic

courtesy of Healing and Eating Flickr

meat and dairy are only fed organic feed, are allowed to be outdoors and disease is averted only by natural means, such as rotational grazing and clean housing.

Unfortunately, conventionally raised

livestock are given hormones for rapid growth, antibiotics and arsenic-based drugs to prevent sickness and in most cases, they’re not allowed outside.

Gluten-free Any food with the label “gluten-free” won’t have any prohibited grain or gluten in it. Prohibited grains include wheat, barley rye, any hybrid of those grains or anything derived from those grains. Also, if there is less than 20 parts per million of gluten, the FDA allows food to hit the stores as “gluten-free.”

Natural The United States allows food to have a natural label if the food has been “minimally processed” and no artificial ingredients can be found. However, there is still not a true definition set by FDA. Non-GMO GMO stands for genetically modified organism where the DNA has been changed. Even though over 25 countries have banned genetically modified foods and twice as many require GMO foods to be labeled, the U.S. doesn’t fit either list.

These studies have shown that eating GMO foods can cause that organ damage and that DNA from genetically modified crops move into the bloodstream. While the prevalence and power of GMO foods have grown, so have cases of intestinal disease, allergies, autism and cancer.

As the consumer, it’s important to understand what’s right for your body. Lack of attention to the kinds of food one eats can cost dearly in the long run. The use of pesticides, hormones, GMOs and other unnatural ingredients aren’t healthy for the consumers.

It’s likely one already has an accumulation of pesticides and other nasty things in the body, which can lead to birth defects, body aches and other ailments. Always make sure to read the food label and know where the produce is coming from.

photo by Tiffany Flor

Tiffany’s Treats:

Homemade Dark Chocolate

By Tiffany Flor Staff Writer Contrary to popular belief, dark chocolate can actually be good for you.

Dark chocolate contains a rich supply of antioxidants and is a great source of fiber. According to Dr. Oz, coconut oil helps boost metabolism and your body’s ability to resist bacterias and viruses.

The following recipe is one for a healthy homemade dark chocolate I found on http:// www.primallyinspired.com. This is a staple in my fridge and something that I pretty much eat every day, though only a little at a time. Having only a small amount of this dark chocolate can satisfy that sweet tooth of yours, while also providing your body with a healthy dose of antioxidants.

This recipe can be eaten warm or cooled.

When you are looking for a chocolate dip for your fruit or pretzels, just heat this up in the microwave and you have a wonderful chocolate syrup.

If you want to make your own chocolate bars or chips, just drip the warm chocolate onto wax paper and set in the freezer. I store my mason jar of this chocolate in my fridge so that I can easily heat it up if I need it in a syrup, or simply scoop it out if I just want some chocolate. Now let’s get started.

Ingredients: • 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut oil (I prefer the type that contains the coconut flavor, thus I prefer more oil for the sake of giving my chocolate more of a coconut taste) • 1 to 2 tablespoons agave • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla • pinch of salt

Get muscle definition with this workout

By Sabrina Lolo Health & Fitness Editor

It’s November, and we’re in the last stretch of the semester. School work is piling up, people are making Thanksgiving plans and the last thing on people’s minds right now is going to the gym.

But it’s still important to go get a good workout in, so here is a fat-burning and strength producing workout.

This isn’t the type of workout that is meant to produce massive muscles, but is more to make you lean and strong.

It’s a twice-a-day workout that focuses on the lower body in the morning and the upper body at night, using light dumbbells for the upper body workout.

The reason it’s twice-a-day is because the metabolism is jolted for about an hour after you workout before returning back to normal. So by working out twice-a-day, this can actually speed up your overall metabolism.

I suggest doing the leg workout in the morning because that’s usually when you have the most energy to do them. These exercises are to be done 50 reps each with whatever amount of sets it takes to get to that number, depending on how good of shape you are in.

Lower body workout: 1. Lunges: Keeping your upper body straight with your shoulders back and relaxed, step forward with one leg.

Lower your hips until they’re at a 90 degree angle. Make sure to keep your front knee directly above your ankle and that your back knee doesn’t touch the floor. Keep the weight in your heels while pushing back up to the starting position. This will help shape and tone

your legs.

2. Squats: Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Extend the arms out straight with your palms facing down. Or pull the elbows close to the body with the palms facing each other and thumbs pointed up.

Begin the movement by bending the knees and sending the hips backward.

Even when the butt starts to stick out, keep the upper body straight with the head facing forward the whole time.

Let the hips get lower than the knees.

Then drive back up through your heels and return to the starting position. Beginners should start off with no weight and then start using dumbbells when they have perfected the right form.

3. Single leg calf raises: Position the toes and the balls of the feet on an elevated platform with the rest of the foot left off. Place hand on support for balance. I like to do this on the feet platforms in the pull up machine where the treadmills are. Lift the other leg behind by bending the knee. Raise the heel by extending the ankle as high as it can go. Then lower the heel until the calf is stretched and repeat. Do on both legs.

4. Planks: This exercise doesn’t need to be done 50 times. Rest the body on the forearms, keeping the palms flat on the floor. Make sure the shoulders are directly above the elbows. In a pushup motion, raise the body off the floor, balancing yourself on the forearms and toes. Do not let the stomach drop or the butt rise like a pyramid. Hold it for 30 seconds and do that three times.

Upper body workout: 1. Push-ups: Do as many of these as you can. Grab a small dumbbell (three

or five pounds) and stand it vertically.

Get into position with the hands directly under the shoulders, back straight and chest right above the weight. Lower yourself by bending the arms until the chest touches the dumbbell. Make sure to keep the back straight. Then lift back up and repeat.

2. Rows: With a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing the torso, slightly bend the knees and bend over at the waist. Make sure to keep the back straight while bending until you’re almost parallel to the floor. While keeping the upper body still, lift the dumbbells to the side, keeping the elbows close to the body. Once you get to the top, squeeze the muscles and hold it for a second. Then slowly lower the weight again to the starting position.

3. Upright rows: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand straight with the palms facing the front of the thighs.

Then pull the dumbbells to the front of the shoulders with the elbows bending out to the sides. While lifting, let the wrists flex. Lower and repeat.

4. Curls: Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with the feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Start with the arms hanging at the sides with palms facing forward. Curl both arms upward until they’re in front of the shoulders, then lower them down and repeat.

5. Dips: Grip the edge of a bench, keeping your feet together and the legs extended out. Lower the body by bending the arms with elbows pointed back.

Then lift the body back up by straightening the arms in one powerful motion, finishing with the back upright.

photo by Tiffany Flor Dark chocolate ingredients.

Directions: 1. Warm the coconut oil in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

2.Mix in the agave and cacao powder.

3. Prepare your chocolate bars or drizzle on your fruit and you’re ready to go. Enjoy.

photo by Tiffany Flor Homemade dark chocolate.

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Nov. 15, 2013

Sports 21

Sports INSIDE SPORTS Triton of All Trades

page 23

Rugby coverage

page 24

Nemo feature

page 24

Crescent tabbed for two awards as Tritons end season

By Will Creager Asst. Sports Editor

courtesy of eckerdtritons.com/Herb Brooks Transfer Junior Altavious Carter goes up for a jumper against the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

Basketball challenged down in the Delta

By Will Creager Asst. Sports Editor The men’s basketball team opened their season by competing in the “Down in the Delta Challenge” in Cleveland, Miss., Nov. 9 and 10.

The Tritons first game of the season was a 70-63 loss against the University of Arkansas-Monticello, despite five different players all picking up at least nine points.

Eckerd was down 35-26 at halftime, but got right back into the game scoring 23 of the first 35 points in the second half, taking a 49-47 lead with 7:25 left. A minute later, Sophomore Guard E.J. Moody hit a three pointer, extending their lead to six points.

However, UAM took the lead back on a jumper by Senior Forward Dayton Mickens with 4:56 remaining, and hung on for the victory.

Moody and Sophomore Guard Jerrick Stevenson led the Tritons with 12 points apiece, while Stevenson also had a team-high seven rebounds and three assists. Senior Guard Alex Bodney contributed 11 points and six rebounds, while Junior Forward Malcolm “Theo” Brunner Jr. and Senior Guard Josh Snodgrass each added nine points.

Mickens led the Boll Weevils with 20 points, converting on nine of his 11 field goal attempts. Senior Guard Jared Harrison and Senior Forward Brandon Wilson scored 11 points each.

Eckerd then played Delta State University, the hosts of the tournament, in their second game.

The Tritons started quickly, and held a 26-16 lead with 4:29 left in the first half. However, the Statesmen closed out the half strong, and went into halftime trailing 28-26.

After Delta tied the game early in the second half, Eckerd went on a 13-0 run, giving them a 41-28 lead with 15:02 left in the game.

However, the Statesmen had another comeback left in them, and eventually tied the game at 51-51 on a three-pointer by Sophomore Guard Jack Madgen. The two teams went back and forth until the end of regulation, when they went into overtime tied 65-65.

Delta jumped out to an early lead in the OT period, and then made seven straight free throws down the stretch to clinch a 79-73 victory over the Tritons.

Bodney led Eckerd with 18 points and three assists. Stevenson and Sophomore Forward Ray Darnell contributed 16 and 14 points, respectively, while Darnell also led the team with seven rebounds.

Five different Statesmen scored

at least 10 points, led by Freshman Forward Devin Schmidt and Senior Forward Willie Readus, who had 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Madgen added 15 points of his own.

Even though the team lost their first two games, the Tritons aren’t panicking and still feel confident that they will be competitive in the SSC yet again.

“The first couple games we’re adjusting because we have new handcheck rules and foul calls,” Moody said. “First game we came out flat, second game we came out with more energy. It’s fun to be back on the court. We have to adjust, that’s all it is. We’re going to be pretty good again this year.”

The Tritons will look to pick up their first win of the season when they host American International College Nov. 16.

Both the men’s and women’s soccer seasons came to an end, with both teams failing to make the SSC tournament.

Coming off of their most successful season in recent memory in 2012, the women’s team started out their season strong, winning five of their first six matches.

However, once conference play started, the team failed to build off of their momentum and went just 1-7 in SSC play. That put them in last place in the conference.

The biggest bright spot on the team was Junior Goalkeeper Morgan Crescent, who was voted onto the All-SSC Second Team for the second straight season. In addition, she also received CoSIDA Capital One Academic First Team All-District accolades. She started 14 games, and had five shutouts among the team’s seven wins.

The men’s team was also coming off of an above-.500 season, and were picked to finish in sixth in the SSC in the preseason poll.

However, they finished with a 2-6 record, tying with Florida Tech for seventh place.

Senior Midfielder Daniel Lopez led the team with 13 points on five goals and three assists.

Junior Forward Nick Murawski had 12 points, including four goals and a team-high four assists.

Volleyball team rallies around Burr after loss of father

By Malena Carollo Editor-in-Chief

For the first time in her 12 year volleyball career, Senior Madison Burr will miss out on the unflinching support of one of her biggest fans this season.

Burr’s father, Shawn Burr, who played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings, died in August after a threeyear battle with leukemia on the eve of her senior season. He was 47.

A setter for the women’s volleyball team, Burr juggles a tightly-packed schedule of classes for her business administration major and leadership minor with a rigorous volleyball schedule.

“As a setter, she’s kind of like the quarterback of the team [and she] brings us all together,” Senior Outside Hitter Lindsay Biggs said.

“Her personality and her will to win motivates everyone on the team.”

After what would otherwise be a crippling experience, the blow of losing her father was cushioned by the strong support network of

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Burr’s team and friends in the area.

“It’s getting better,” Burr said. “I have a lot of people here who knew him, a lot of faculty and everything like sports people. They’ve helped me a lot, so that’s good. My mom’s been down a lot to visit.”

Burr’s team knew her father from the many times he’d visited Eckerd from their home in St. Clair, Mich.

“Having met her dad and knowing him before the cancer and after he died,” Biggs said, “[and] the fact that our team is such a family, it almost felt like we lost one of our own family members.”

Her father, who came to 20 out of 26 of her volleyball games her sophomore year, was passionate about his daughters succeeding in every aspect of their lives.

Her sister, Maison Burr, is a freshman on Nova Southeastern’s vol-

back of my head like what he expected of me, which is really cool.”

Burr’s team was crucial in helping ease her into her senior year after his death.

“Having to leave her family right then,” Biggs said, “I felt like we tried to be her support system and family here at Eckerd and to make the transition easier.”

Despite the hardship, Burr said her play on the court hasn’t been significantly affected.

“It was obviously a shocking matter, but he’d been sick for a long time,” she said. “It wasn’t obviously expected that he was going to pass away, but it was almost that he’s in a better place now, like not in pain, not in any of that.”

In his memory, The Shawn Burr Foundation will continue to courtesy of Madison Burr run under the direc-

leyball team. Eckerd beat Nova in both matchups this season.

“Me and my dad always talked if he couldn’t make it [to a game], what he expected out of me,” Burr said. “So I always had that in the

Madison Burr with her late father, Shawn Burr.

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tion of his friend Dave Goetze in support of blood cancer research.

Looking forward, Burr is excited for her team’s chance for another bid to the NCAA tournament. The Tritons are currently 17-9 (8-5 SSC), sitting in third place in the conference at press time.

“Hopefully they’re going as far as we have in the past or even further,” she said.

Off the court, she’s looking forward to some extra downtime.

“I’m kind of excited to be a normal student for the spring,” Burr said. “I don’t really have any volleyball or anything so it’ll be interesting to see what I do with my spare time. I’ve never really not had a sport, so it’ll be interesting.”

As the Tritons head toward another postseason run, Burr will continue her balancing act with the support of her team.

“There’s days that are really hard and there are days that all I do is smile and laugh about the memories, so it’s getting easier, and it’s never going to just go away.”

22 Sports

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Nov. 15, 2013

UPCOMING

SPORTS Nov. 15

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Noon v. Saint Augustine’s

University @ Saint Leo University

VOLLEYBALL

7 p.m. v. Barry University

Nov. 16

WOMEN’S RUGBY

1 p.m. Round Robin Tournament v. University of Florida

& University of South Florida

MEN’S RUGBY

3 p.m. v. St. Petersburg Pelicans

VOLLEYBALL

4 p.m. v. Florida Tech (Senior Night)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sports Briefly Eckerd Sailing places well in fall finale The Eckerd co-ed sailing team placed well in the fall’s final regatta in Charleston, S.C. Senior Walker Banks and Sophomore Jessicca Resnick led the way with a fourth place finish in the “A” Division. The team as a whole finished in sixth place in the “A” Division and 8th place in the “B” Division.

The Tritons have already qualified for the Fall postseason. The next regatta is Nov. 16 and 17 at the Atlantic Coast Championships.

Ultimate withdraw from tournament The Ultimate Frisbee Club finished 15th out of 16 teams after injuries forced them to withdraw. With two games to play, the team was down three players to major injuries including Captains Senior Nick Ioffredo, with an ankle injury, and Junior Will Demarest, with a knee injury. The loss of these players meant that Eckerd was down to only one substitute with other members playing hurt.

The team was competitive, however, losing by only two points in all but one game.

Golf can’t capitalize at tournament Senior Jeff Evanier turned in his usual positive performance at the McDonough Cup Oct. 29. Evanier’s top-10 finish simply was not enough as Eckerd completed the tournament 11th out of 16 teams. Sophomore Jake Solomon posted a top 25 finish at the tournament but poor finishes from Senior Greg Reilly and Freshman Calum McKay meant that the Tritons would slip on the final day of competition. The men’s golf team is set to resume play in the spring.

National Mauer to switch to first base The Minnesota Twins announced that perennial All-Star Catcher Joe Mauer will make the permanent switch to first base this coming season. Mauer initially was swapped from his catcher role when he suffered a concussion with 40 games remaining in the 2013 season. The 2009 American League Most Valuable Player switches to a position that he has played on occasion over the last several seasons.

Incognito denies accusations Embattled Miami Dolphins Offensive Lineman Richie Incognito sat for his first interview since he was dismissed from team activities. Incognito affirmed his innocence and stated that fellow player Jonathan Martin had sent him threatening text messages.

The former lineman is accused of hazing activities done to former Miami Offensive Lineman Jonathan Martin. According to Martin, Incognito extorted money and threatened him and his family physically.

Orlando expected as next MLS club Major League Soccer is set to announce the newest club. The Orlando City Soccer Club was recently granted funds by Orlando, Fla. for the building of a soccer stadium in downtown Orlando. MLS has targeted the Orlando franchise, which has seen success in USL Pro, a lower division, by winning two of the last three championships.

The announcement is expected to come later this month. Orlando City drew 20,886 fans to their championship game Sept. 7.

7:30 p.m. v. American Inter-

Nov. 18

7:05 p.m. @ Florida Gulf

Coast University (exhibition)

VOLLEYBALL

6 p.m. @ Saint Leo Univer-

Oct. 26 @ No. 2 Rollins College L 5-0 Oct. 23 v. Nova Southeastern University W 3-1

Women’s Soccer Nov. 2 @ Barry University L 4-0

Volleyball

sity

tic University

Oct. 30 v. No. 7 Saint Leo University (Senior Night) L 1-0

Oct. 22 v. Nova Southeastern University L 2-1 (OT)

Nov. 19

5 p.m. @ Palm Beach Atlan-

Nov. 2 @ Barry University L 1-0

Oct. 26 @ No. 2 Rollins College L 7-1

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Men’s Soccer

Oct. 29 v. No. 7 Saint Leo University (Senior Night) L 9-1

national College

Nov. 20

SCORE BOARD

courtesy of Campus Safety Officer Phil Gareau Students take advantage of the cancellation of the women’s rugby game Nov. 2 by organizing a game of giant soccer. The 6-foot ball was purchased by Residence Life and is available for RA events.

Winning Shots Send your fan photos to currentsports@eckerd.edu for a chance to be featured in upcoming issues of The Current.

Nov. 23

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Nov. 9 @ Rollins College W 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 2518, 25-23) Nov. 8 @ No. 2 University of Tampa L 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 1625, 16-25) Nov. 6 @ Florida Southern College W 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 2624)

2 p.m. v. Flagler College

Nov. 26

Nov. 2 v. Nova Southeastern University W 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 2522)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 5:30 p.m. v. Valdosta State University

Nov. 1 v. Lynn University W 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 1925, 25-17)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m. v. Franklin College photo by Stefan Kapczynski Team Shaman Senior Buster Thompson remains in high spirits postgame despite suffering a head laceration in the Nov. 9 rugby match. The Tritons were defeated by the Sarasota adult men’s team.

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the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Sports 23

Eckerd’s newest block party:

Defensive surge by Milojevic and Jones helps boost volleyball in SSC rankings

By Colin Casey Asst. Sports Editor

Celebrating an alumnus’ life and love of the game: The Matthew T. McDermott Memorial Golf Tournament

By Mike Geibel Sports Editor Each year in early November, alumni and community members join for a round of golf at the Renaissance Vinoy Golf Course. The one-day event is the Matthew T. McDermott Memorial Golf Tournament. Alumnus Matthew McDermott (‘89), a former Eckerd golfer, died Sept. 11, 2001 in the World Trade Center. The 12th annual tournament held special significance to me because of my golf history.

According to my dad, I was playing golf before I could walk.

I’d crawl around the carpet of our home in Sheboygan, Wis. pushing a ball across the floor with a plastic club. When I could stand, and throughout my childhood, I had a small junior set. My dad would take me to the local par-3 course and try to teach me the game, despite my frustrated outbursts. If I threw a club or a tantrum, he’d threaten to send me to the car.

More than just the game of golf, I learned a lot about controlling my emotions and staying focused from my dad on those days.

When my dad took a job as a part-time sales rep for TaylorMade, I went with him to demo days at local golf courses and hit golf balls until my entire body was sore and I had blisters on my hands.

He let me play with his group some Saturday and Sunday mornings. I had to wake up at 6 a.m. to make the first tee time at Creekside Country Club in Hiram, Ga. Golf was such an important part of my childhood and development as a young man that I’m not sure where I would be without those life lessons.

McDermott did not get the chance to play golf with his children as I did with my father, but the proceeds from the memorial tournament serve a great purpose.

Each year of the tournament, proceeds benefit the Matthew T. McDermott Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to two outstanding Triton golfers. This year, the recipients of the award were Seniors Jeff Evanier and Mara Shingleton I was invited to join Associate Dean for Campus Activities

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Fred Sabota’s foursome as the student body representative. Along with Sabota and I, the team was filled out by Director of Emergency Management and Campus Safety Adam Colby and Assistant Dean of Students Lorisa Lorenzo.

A foursome in the tournament cost $600. Each hole was sponsored by local businesses or Eckerd departments for a range of donations. The course was meticulously maintained and the weather was perfect for a day on the links.

The shotgun scramble format started us on the 12th hole.

The team bogeyed the first hole as we tried to shake off the rust and get warmed up.

I had a select few good shots including a monster drive on another par four that left the team just yards short of the green. Sabota contributed with long, sweeping drives that found the fairway at just the right times. Lorenzo contributed with clutch shots that put us within striking distance of birdies and saved more than a few pars. Colby was steady, putting his tee shots right down the middle on the majority of holes.

My biggest contribution came early in the round. On our fourth hole, the team was playing our third shot from just off the green.

After the first three members of the teams’ putts got close enough to the hole for an easy tap-in, I addressed the ball saying simply, “Why don’t I just chip this in?”

Of course I was joking, but the swing felt clean and the ball bounced once, twice and rolled right into the middle of the cup for birdie. Despite my big moment of brilliance, our team tallied pars more often than not, and we shot 2-under par on the round.

The winning team shot somewhere around 13-under par but the scores mattered less than the cause we all played for. As Shingleton accepted her award later that night, she spoke about how her father had taught her the game and supported her and her brother always, through the high and low points of her career.

As her dad’s and brother’s eyes began to tear up at her speech, I remembered how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to learn the great game of golf from my own dad.

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Eckerd women’s volleyball has been on a tear of late as their season’s end nears. The team has won eight of their last nine with the sole loss coming to No. 2 University of Tampa Nov. 8. Each win during the recent push could prove essential as the playoff race looks even tighter than years before.

Thanks to their recent wins, Eckerd has jumped from sixth to third place in the SSC. The Tritons are even gaining national attention and now find themselves ranked No. 7 in the NCAA South Region. The most recent game stood as a noted defensive testimony against Rollins College Nov. 9.

Rollins, ranked No. 5 in the South Region at the time, had previously beaten the Tritons at the MacArthur Center Oct. 4.

But that did not faze Eckerd.

After Rollins tied the first set 23-23, Junior Middle Blocker Katarina Milojevic came up with a block to help swing the momentum and steal the set for Eckerd.

After dropping the second set to Rollins the Tritons could not

be stopped. Eckerd won the third set 25-18 and the fourth set 25-23.

Triton blocks played a key role in each of the sets won as Eckerd set a new record for blocks in a match with 23. Milojevic and Junior Middle Blocker Grace Jones tallied 11 blocks each. Milojevic’s effort raised her season total to 113, matching her total from last year which landed her eighth all-time at Eckerd for blocks in a season. Milojevic and Jones currently sit in second and third place in blocks and

blocks per set in the conference.

Another key contributor to the Tritons has been Senior Outside Hitter Lindsay Biggs.

Biggs leads the team in kills and points and believes that the team has turned a corner in their pursuit of the postseason.

“Now that we’ve won a few games and moved up in our regional rankings, I feel like we’re peaking at the right time,” Biggs said. “We have a chance to make a really good run at the NCAA tournament.”

courtesy of eckerdtritons.com Grace Jones (left) and Katarina Milojevic (right) lead the team in blocks this season.

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IMPORTANT Thanksgiving Fall Finals Spring Semester Begins Spring Break Spring Finals

DATES

Thanksgiving Fall Final s November 28-29 Spring Semester Begins December 9-12 Spring Break January 28 Spring Final s March 22-30

May 12-15

24

the current

Nov. 15, 2013

Sports

Nemo finds his passion in the gym

By Sabrina Lolo Health & Fitness Editor

photo by Stefan Kapczynski Junior Garrett Butler is tackled around the neck after one of his powerful runs. At times, Butler carried several Sarasota defenders before succumbing to tackles.

Fierce friendly match favors Sarasota

By Colin Casey Asst. Sports Editor

The men’s rugby team fell to the Sarasota Saracens, a men’s club rugby team Nov. 9. The game was split between an A-side half and a B-side half designed to allow newer players more field time. Sarasota defeated Eckerd 20-10 in the A-side matchup, and 26-0 in the B-side.

But the game’s major story was the number of injuries that struck down Eckerd players. The first blow was struck less than 10 minutes into the first half when Senior Captain Chris Higgins came out of a ruck bleeding from a gash in his head. Higgins claimed he had been stepped on by someone, which opened his head.

Higgins was subbed out and diagnosed by the athletic trainer with possible concussion symptoms. He departed for the hospital at halftime for stitches.

In spite of the loss of their captain, Eckerd performed valiantly in the first half. After quickly going down by a try to Sarasota, Junior Garrett Dunne sprung through the midfield for a try of his own. “It was a quick little kick and they [Sarasota] weren’t expecting it,” Dunne said. “I managed to get through.”

Offensively, Eckerd appeared more organized than in its previous friendly matches. Until the match against the Saracens, the men’s rugby team only scored a combined 10 points through three matches.

“Right now we have a really solid set of forwards making all the backs look good,” Dunne said.

Eckerd Coach David Hedges also weighed in on his team’s offense.

“Today, we had the right people in the right places on offense,” he said.

In spite of a solid all-around effort by Senior Dylan Eggers, Eckerd’s A-side could not overcome the Saracens’ size and experience.

An additional Eckerd try scored

by Freshman Aidan Fievet was the closest the Tritons would get. Sarasota delivered a parting shot to the Tritons after a hard hit to Junior Isaac Anderson. The hit removed him from the game due to concern over swelling around his eye; he has since been medically cleared.

Despite a slightly lopsided final score in the game, Hedges lauded his team’s efforts.

“We pushed them in the scrums, and that was a men’s team,” he said.

One of the major issues from last season and early this year was the performance in the scrums.

The primary concern for the Tritons going forward is a shortage of players that plagued the team.

Several A-side players were unable to play in the game including Junior Taylor Harned with a back injury, Junior Zack Illare with an ankle injury, Senior Chris Petito was out of state and Junior Joel

Lee had academic commitments.

Eckerd was also missing Junior Rob Mabry who is still rehabbing from his summer shoulder surgery and will return in the spring.

In addition, Eckerd suffered the worst injury of the day just before time expired as Freshman Zach Chupak fell after planting his left foot awkwardly and needed assistance to leave the field. Chupak was taken to a medical facility and diagnosed with a broken ankle.

While the game was a rough one for Eckerd, the fans still came out to support them. The game was well attended by Eckerd students who made the most of the beautiful game day conditions. Eckerd will have one more chance to see the rugby team before Christmas Nov.16 on Kappa Field with the women’s team in a round-robin tournament starting at 1 p.m. and the men facing off against the St. Petersburg Pelicans Rugby Club at 3 p.m.

No. 7 Kentucky trumps Tritons in exhibition

By Will Creager Asst. Sports Editor The women’s basketball team began their season with the toughest opponent they will face all season last week. It was the seventh-ranked team in Division I, the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Tritons lost the exhibition contest 83-35, but Head Coach Paul Honsinger said the game was an incredible experience for the team that the players and coaches won’t soon forget.

“Our game against Kentucky was an incredible [opportunity],” Honsinger said. “To compete against the pre-season No. 7 D-I program in the nation is a special experience. The venue was terrific, the fans and atmosphere was amazing and the talent level of the players was unlike anything else we will experience this year.”

Senior Guard Amy Buccilla, who

scored three points and grabbed two rebounds in the game, was also excited that the team was able to go through this experience together.

“It was an amazing experience,” Buccilla said. “Not many college athletes can say they’ve had the opportunity to play a nationally ranked powerhouse team. It was a great opportunity for our team to not only grow closer as a unit, but it was also a great learning experience. We can look at some of the positives from this game and reinforce them. We can also look at mistakes from this game, address them and improve upon them before our first regular season game.”

Eckerd was able to schedule this game through an AAU coach that both Honsinger and Matthew Mitchell, the Kentucky head coach, have worked with in the past.

The Wildcats started the game quickly, jumping out to a 23-0 lead to begin the game. It took the Tritons

more than 10 minutes to score a basket. The Tritons were able to find some offensive rhythm half, outscoring Kentucky 15-10 in the final 10 minutes to trail 33-15 at halftime.

Kentucky took control back in the second half, outscoring Eckerd 50-20 behind Senior Forwards DeNesha Stallworth and Samarie Walker. Stallworth finished with a game-high 17 points, while Walker chipped in with 12 of her own. They also led the Wildcats with six rebounds each.

Senior Forward Liga Vente led the way for the Tritons with 13 points and six rebounds. Junior Guard Kayla Bowlin added eight points of her own, but also committed eight of Eckerd’s 41 turnovers, as Kentucky’s defensive pressure proved to be too much for Eckerd to handle.

Although they got beat handily, the experience of playing a team like the Wildcats should help Eckerd during the regular season.

“It was an amazing experience,” Vente said. “Playing against Kentucky was a great competition for us. We had a chance to step out of our comfort zone and experience playing against their heavy pressure which is good preparation for us against the teams we will face this season. Not everyday you get to play against athletes of that caliber. Overall, I think this did a lot of good for the Eckerd program by just getting our name out there and for future recruits as well.”

Honsinger agreed that facing Kentucky will make the team better down the road.

“I was very proud of our players and how hard they competed and I know they enjoyed the challenge,” he said. “The defensive pressure that UK applied forced us to execute our offense with little to no room for error and that will help us moving forward when we face opponents in our conference.”

When working out in the gym, at some point students have probably seen or heard him blasting music while lifting. Towering at 6-foot-5-inches with muscles to spare, Junior Nemanja “Nemo” Rmus is someone who is hard to miss around campus.

A native of Sarasota, Fla., Rmus is a center on the men’s basketball team. Although he loves basketball, Rmus’ passion is fitness and lifting.

“I started getting into lifting seriously my junior year of high school,” Rmus said. “I was pretty thin and I wanted to play college basketball.”

Luckily, Rmus’ good friend was a professional bodybuilder. He saw potential in Rmus and took him under his wing.

“He worked me out every day and spent a lot of time helping me out with workouts, supplementation and dieting,” Rmus said.

Soon enough, lifting became more than just a method of getting in shape for basketball — it became a lifestyle. Rmus now goes to the gym twice daily, on top of doing his basketball workouts.

He also prides himself in using natural substances, such as protein, vitamins and pre-workouts.

“Nemo is a very hard worker,” Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kendrick Wilson said. “We have required weight lifting workouts that are physically demanding and even though Nemo completes all his team lifting, he still, a lot of times, manages to lift again on his own.”

Diet, Rmus says, is a key component in any exercise program.

“Dieting is very important; going to the gym is only 50 percent,” Rmus said. “Dieting and sleeping make up the remaining 50. My trainer always told me you get out what you put in.”

What you eat counts just as much as the amount you eat.

“You should always eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight,” Rmus explained. “Chicken breast, fish, steak and red meats are definitely the best sources.”

Since the beginning, Rmus has been motivated when it comes to fitness. He is thinking about pursuing bodybuilding after college.

“I just have a passion for fitness,” Rmus said. “It’s in my blood, I guess.”

Rmus never participated in any fitness competitions, but did fitness modeling in Miami this past summer.

“I want to definitely do more modeling in the future on a big scale as well as compete,” Rmus said.

If Rmus had to offer advice to those who seriously want to get into lifting, it’s to give it all in the gym right from the beginning.

“That’s how you have to work and to never give up,” Rmus said. “It takes time to see results, it doesn’t just come overnight. Way too many people give up because they don’t see the results fast enough.”

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