Volume 6, Issue 7

Vol. 6, Issue 7 Feb. 6, 2015

Eckerd celebrates the New Year

SPORTS

Winter Term basketball recap: Find out how the 15-5 women’s team and 11-8 men’s team got their records — page 15.

HEALTH & FITNESS

photos by Nate Gozlan (top, bottom right and bottom left) and Ari Demetroulakos (bottom center) Students wrote hopes, wishes and regrets on the lanterns and released them from South Beach on Jan. 30 during Eckerd’s first lantern lighting event.

Winter, spring construction improves campus

By Marlene Heyning Contributing Writer Over this past winter break and Winter Term, many changes were made around Eckerd’s campus, including the addition of a newly renovated front gatehouse, new sand volleyball courts, repavement to campus roads, parking lots and sidewalks and new hot water faucets in the traditional dorm lounges.

The new gatehouse at the front of the school has been under construction since early January, according to Director of Planning, Development and Construction Bill McKenna.

“It should be finished by next week,” McKenna said near the end of January 2015. “It is pretty well buttoned up, and hopefully by Please Recycle

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Wednesday it will be done. We are hoping to get the Campus Safety officers back in on Tuesday.”

The gatehouse was renovated mostly for aesthetic reasons.

“The old one looked archaic next to the new ‘Eckerd College’ sign when you first drive in, and we wanted to bring the gatehouse to the present,” McKenna said.

But, there were other problems that needed to be fixed. According to Director of Emergency Management and Campus Safety Adam Colby, the old building had structural problems, including wear to the front portion and a leaking roof.

Colby also mentioned that the new gatehouse will have inlaid computer monitors for the officers, similar to the ones in the Campus Safety office.

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“There will be more space because we are removing the air conditioning ventilator,” Colby said.

Besides the front gatehouse being redone, Derby Lane, which sits in between the James Center and the McArthur Gym, is being repaved.

“At the beginning of each fiscal year, we make a list of repairs that we have to do, and Derby Lane needed to be repaved badly,” Director of Facilities Doug Ault said.

“The road was deteriorating and it was not graded, which was a problem because there was too much standing water, so we put in aprons [asphalted entrance ways] to make the water go into the pond and not stay on the road.”

Changes to the pavement outside of Nu, Upham Administration, the bookstore and Foundations Col-

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legium were also done because of multiple student requests through the Parking Committee. Due to skateboarding accidents, students went to the Parking Committee, who turned to Facilities to get the divots and potholes removed from certain areas for better safety.

Another change Facilities made over Winter Term was the reconstruction of the sand volleyball courts near Kappa Field. This is because Eckerd is getting a Sand Volleyball team to compete in the NCAA. Because of this new addition to athletics, Eckerd’s existing courts needed to change to match regulation standards, which include wider courts and new edging, according to Ault.

Are the pub smoothies healthy? Found out how much sugar you’re actually drinking — page 13.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Eckerd DJs are becoming regulars at a local tea bar.

Read about their success — page 11.

See Construction, page 3

HEALTH & FITNESS 13-14

SPORTS 15-16

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

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Feb. 6, 2015

Editor-in-Chief

Sydney Cavero thecurrent@eckerd.edu

Managing Editors Teresa Young Gary Furrow Jr. currentme@eckerd.edu

News Editors Chelsea Duca Bryan Arnott

Assistant Editor Timothy Lee currentnews@eckerd.edu

Viewpoints Editors Dorothy-Mae Eldemire Araesia King currentviews@eckerd.edu

Science & Technology Editor Sarah Raney

Assistant Editor Ania Szczesniewski currentscience@eckerd.edu

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Jennifer Lincoln currententertainment@eckerd.edu

Health & Fitness Editor Blaide Woodburn currenthealth@eckerd.edu

Sports Editors

Dominick Cuppetilli

Assistant Editors Christina Rosetti Simon Sheidegger currentsports@eckerd.edu

Photo Editors

Nate Gozlan Lia Nydes currentphoto@eckerd.edu

Online Editor Hailey Escobar

Assistant Editor Cassie Madden currentonline@eckerd.edu

Layout Editors Hannah Hamontree

Andrew Friedman currentlayout@eckerd.edu

Graphic Design Editor Hannah Hamontree

Multimedia Manager Gary Furrow Jr. currentvideo@eckerd.edu

Social Media Coordinator Marissa Meleedy

Business Manager Gabe Rosenthal currentads@eckerd.edu

Faculty Adviser K.C. Wolfe

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.

LET’S BE BRIEF

By Bryan Arnott & Chelsea Duca News Editors

Find love at speed dating

Writing portfolio deadline approaches

Join Palmetto Productions for the seventh annual speed dating event in Fox Hall on Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.

There will be food, raffles, beverages and the chance to meet someone special. Those not interested in speed dating will be able to stuff a bear or make Valentine’s day cards. Kazual will be playing music at the event.

The Flush

Students who have not passed or turned in their writing portfolio should plan to do it soon. The deadline for writing portfolios is Feb. 27 before 4 p.m. Students may turn in their finished portfolios at the Foundations Office, Brown 140.

Drag yourself to Drag Queen Bingo

The Flush

ECOS hosts Valentine’s dinner The Flush

The Flush

ECOS will be turning the cafeteria into a more intimate setting for you and a date or friend. Stop by the ECQSA and Palmetto Productions are bringing back caf on Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. for a romatic dinner. Those not your favorite queen Meagan Towers on Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. on the meal plan need not worry — just show your ID Join Towers for Drag Queen Bingo in Fox Hall for at the door and ECOS will cover the rest. food, beverages and fun.

Audition for “Eurydice” The Flush

Make your way towards Bininger Theatre on Feb. 11 and 12 from 7 to 10 p.m. to audition for “Eurydice.”

Readings will be done from the script and perusal scripts can be found in the Theatre Office in advance.

Seven gender-blind roles will be cast. For more information please email Cynthia Totten at tottenc@eckerd.edu.

Co-ed softball team looking for players In the Know

A co-ed softball club is starting up at Eckerd with hopes to some day participate in leagues in St. Petersburg. No experience is necessary and there are no requirements, though members will have to fill out an insurance waiver to compete. Fielding gloves are necessary, batting gloves are recommended and all else will be provided. Those interested may contact Sam Purinton at srpurint@eckerd.edu.

ITS loads up on bandwidth

By Bryan Arnott News Editor

We live in a fast-paced, technologically-driven world – and the Internet is the fuel that keeps us going. Continuously we find ourselves buried in our phones or laptops more often than we did even five years ago, whether it be for school or pleasure.

Director of ITS John Duff is one of many at the forefront of the “battle” to keep our Internet up and running quickly at Eckerd College.

Duff has been at Eckerd in one way, shape or form for over 17 years, and has been the director for five years.

When Duff first started working here, the bandwidth available to residents of the campus was only 39 megabytes (MB); now that number sits around 1.2 gigabytes (GB). Out of the 1.2 GB, Eckerd, as a whole, only uses around 500 to 900 MB during peak hours, which range from 10 a.m. to midnight.

ITS originally wanted the bandwidth amount to be at 1.2 GB at the start of fall semester and they had planned for it to be upgraded as early as July. Due to a number of problems between Bright House, Level Three and the Florida Lambda Rail Network, this wasn’t feasible until the middle of fall semester.

“Anything that’s accessed on the Internet, that’s how you’re getting there,” Duff said. “You’re going out of here on a Bright House circuit over to the Florida Lambda Rail network and onto the Internet.”

Since the network has been upgraded, Duff feels the servers have become stronger and more able to handle the stress the college puts on it. Some students, though, continue to have trouble with the wireless internet connection.

a system from Bradford Networks that will make it easier for students and visitors to register on their network.

“You may be able to even register, potentially, before you get to campus if you know your MAC address,” Duff said.

This process would be akin to the same way travelers log onto the Internet at airports, and would make it easier to restrict access to certain portions of campus if educators do not have the amount of bandwidth they need. Restriction isn’t their main focus though; ease of accessibility is.

Power outages seem to be one of the last remaining factors keeping students off the Internet. At times throughout the semester, the power may go out in one sector, usually on a Friday or Saturday night, shutting off the Internet for different parts of campus. Once ITS returns to work on Monday, they realize there’s no access, and usually the problem is as easy as unplugging and plugging back in the power.

Duff said to always relay any problems to ITS. “We’re monitoring this all the time, but the network is a complex graphic courtesy of John Duff thing,” Duff said. “Sometimes we This graph shows the outbound usage of bandwidth on campus. can see that something is up and running, and it looks like it’s good to us, but the end user isn’t receivsomething that you want to watch. too.

Duff says there are schools that ing it.”

“Especially in Omega, if you’re ITS is always looking for stuclose to Zeta, it connects to Zeta,” will limit how much bandwidth Senior Amy Naula said. “There’s gaming consoles are allowed to use dents who are interested in the ITS also really bad Internet on South so that professors and students are department, are eligible for work Beach, and if everyone’s trying to able to use the Internet without study and live on campus. If somedo one thing at once, it doesn’t latency issues. Even with the 400 thing breaks over the weekend, ITS or so consoles they have currently is able to message these students work.”

Those who search the Internet hooked up to the network, they to correct what is often an easy fix. aimlessly looking for the next great haven’t had to come to that deci- Anyone interested can contact Director of ITS John Duff (duffja@ video of a cat may be surprised to sion yet.

This winter, ITS will be installing eckerd.edu) about the opportunity. hear that the video they wait for to “I can never watch Netflix because of too many people watching it at the same time. It makes the Internet slow,” Senior Meaghan Rondeau said.

The most bandwidth is used when students are relaxing after classes, making 9 p.m. to midnight the most congested time period to get on the network. The problems can extend beyond the classroom

load and watch actually cuts down on the time someone else would need to spend loading that same video. This is possible through a server called Exinda.

“It’ll check that box to say, hey, has someone watched this here on campus recently?” Duff said.

This won’t help you with Netflix, but it will help you if somebody has already watched the same video of

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the current

Feb. 6, 2015

News 3

News From Construction, page 1

Sophomore Austin Hunter plays volleyball on the courts every afternoon.

“They got new sand lines, new nets and it’s all adjustable so that we can easily change it whenever we need to,” he said. “It’s just a huge improvement overall.”

Ault believes other students will also appreciate the the updated courts.

“I think that the students will find great benefit in the new sand court changes,” he said. “I am excited to see the team start competing in March.”

As for the newest dorm renovations that happened over the break, new hot water faucets were implemented in the traditional dorm lounges. The new hot water faucets were put in over Winter Term, and provide instant hot water for tea, coffee, ramen and other foods and beverages.

Last year as Epsilon Senator, Sophomore Jack Layden, who is now the Vice President of ECOS, wanted an easier and faster way of getting hot water for drinks and food while studying or lounging around.

“I thought, ‘why don’t we put in a hot water faucet in the [Epsilon] lounge that will never run out of hot water and be convenient for all

the residents?’” Layden said. “Epsilon was the testing grounds and it passed with flying colors.”

Layden received an overwhelmingly positive response on this new feature, so once he became Vice President, he went to Associate Director of Campus Housing Victoria Reeves and told her about his new idea. Once she approved it, they went to Assistant Director of Facilities Rick Briscoe to install the faucets in every dorm.

“Victoria and Rick meet a lot and so they bounced the idea back and forth and thought it would be a valuable addition to dorm life, and they were installed shortly thereafter,” Layden said of the installation, which took about three months of planning and decision making.

“They were even generous enough to pay for them.”

Sophomore Meredith Alden loves the new additions.

“It is wonderful to have the new faucets,” she said. “I’ve only used them a couple of times, but it’s made boiling water and cooking so much faster. I can’t wait to start using it more often.”

Ault is also optimistic about the improvements and changes on campus.

“I think all the new additions will be great and useful for the students,” Ault said.

photo by Christina Rosetti Swimmers enjoy a beautiful day at a Varadero beach.

Tritons go on historic trip to Cuba

photo by Christina Rosetti A man walks down a typical street in Cuba.

By Riley Huff Contributing Writer

photo by Nate Gozlan The beach volleyball courts got a revamped look this winter.

By Timothy Lee Asst. News Editor The ECOS Senate meeting on Feb. 2 was called to order at 7:01 p.m. There were not enough members present for a quorum, so the group held an unofficial meeting.

There were seven senators present. Discussion about the Dorm Olympics was the main topic of the meeting.

Dodgeball is likely to be the main event for the Olympics, and

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will be held either in the McArthur gym or on one of the fields.

Every senator has a budget of $200 for the event.

ECOS is also putting on the Valentine’s dinner at the cafeteria.

Beta senator, Junior Monica Discolo, is in charge of organizing the event.

The unofficial meeting ended at 7:28 p.m.

The election of the new senator for Epsilon is coming up soon, though a date wasn’t specified.

Visit us online at www.theonlinecurrent.com

Eckerd students took an historic trip to Cuba during Winter Term 2015, becoming one of the first groups from an American college to visit the country. This summer, another group of Eckerd students will be traveling to Cuba to pursue marine science research projects.

Since President Obama’s announcement of his intention to stabilize relations between the U.S. and Cuba, the American public’s interest in traveling to the island has only grown, according to the Washington Post. Now that many travel restrictions have been lifted, travel companies like Insight Cuba expect to see far more than the half million Americans who traveled to the country last year.

Members of the marine science department have developed a relationship with the faculty at the University of Havana. They are planning to conduct ongoing joint courses and research projects. This summer will be their first undertaking.

This demographic includes the 18 Eckerd students led by Economics Professor Peter Hammerschmidt on a trip to learn about Cuba’s history and economic development. According to its online description, the class gave special attention to the differences between capitalism in the United States and Cuba’s own brand of socialism.

The locals’ accepting nature toward Americans surprised Hammerschmidt. He was also fascinated by the country’s pervasive underground economy and how professionals with special training work in more proletarian positions in the country’s command economy.

For Junior Aino Pihlava, the experience was more than an opportunity for economic juxtaposition.

“Our group was able to see an area in Cuba most Cubans don’t get to see,” Pihlava said.

While in Cuba, she and others stayed in multiple locations, including the Plaza Hotel; went salsa dancing in Trinidad with friendly locals and learned about the Cu-

ban Revolution at historical sites, like the Che Guevara Museum and Moncada Barracks. At one point, she was able to stand inside a watchtower overlooking Guantanamo Bay, a place forbidden to residents and tourists alike.

While not American herself, she is interested to see how Cuban tourism will evolve to meet the demands of Americans. She pointed out that students often waited in long lines due to customer service issues. The country also currently juggles two separate currencies for residents and tourists.

“They need to move quickly to adapt,” Pihlava said.

Early in the summer of 2015, a new batch of students will have the chance to experience the country through a new Spring-into-Summer course. Associate Professor of Marine Science and Biology William Szelistowski will be leading 10 students in the class called “Tropical Marine Ecology -- Cuba.”

Students will monitor fish in the coral reefs by gathering video footage and then analyzing their data.

They will explore the impact of invasive lionfish on the ocean, among other topics. Szelistowski cannot wait to visit some of the island’s pristine reefs.

“It’s like how the Caribbean was before they were all overfished,” he said.

Szelistowski has an open mind about the adventure he and his students will take.

“They’re prepared, energetic, enthusiastic,” Szelistowski said of the university’s faculty. “They look like a great bunch.”

photo by Christina Rosetti The sun sets over a beach in Trinidad.

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1. A panorama of the Vienna countryside taken by Junior Hunter Ballack-Legget. 2. Senior Christina Rosetti captured a day at the beach in Varadero, Cuba. 3. An old building in Vienna (BallackLegget). 4. Sunset over Vienna (Ballack-Legget). 5.

Taxis line the street in Havana (Rosetti).

Where were Eckerd students traveling this Winter Term?

Every year, Eckerd offers students the opportunity to study abroad during Winter Term in a variety of beautiful locations. This year, those locations included Vienna, Cuba, Belize and Southeast Asia.

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6. A photo of Angkor Wat in Siam Reap taken by Senior Dominick Cuppetilli. 7. Junior Sam Bell captured a photo of the bus students traveled by in Belize. 8. A man rides an elephant at an elephant training camp in Chiang Mai (Cuppetilli). 9. A student walks down the steps of ruins in Belize (Bell). 10. The black orchid is the national flower of Belize (Bell). 11. Fog settles in at Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai (Cuppetilli). 12. The sun sets in Belize (Bell).

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the current

Feb. 6, 2014

Viewpoints 5

Viewpoints The diversity game: 87th Oscars highlights a lack of ethnic representation

By Hailey Escobar Online Editor

On the morning when the nominations for the 87th Annual Academy Awards were to be announced, gossip had already begun about who would get the coveted golden man .

Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo were particularly in the talks for their film “Selma.”

Oyelowo’s transformative performance brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. back to life on the streets Selma, Alabama.

As for DuVernay, a nomination for her would have made history, making her the first black woman to be nominated for Best Director and the fifth woman overall.

But many were shocked when films such as “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “American Sniper” were the ones that pulled out some of the biggest recognitions leaving the civil rights drama with only two nominations: Best Film and Best Original Song.

There were people deserving of the nominations. Actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne were phenomenal in their roles as Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking.

Many movie lovers are still in awe of Rosamund Pike’s performance in “Gone Girl.” “Boyhood” took twelve years of director Richard Linklater’s dedication to create one of the most recognized films of the year. Plus, let’s face it, everyone

graphic by Hannah Hamontree Whitewashing is evident in recent Oscar nominations.

loves Meryl Streep. Unfortunately, there’s one thing that is missing in this year’s batch of nominations: color. It’s this lack of diversity in

one of the biggest award shows for film that drew criticism from the public about the Hollywood system as a whole.

“I feel like they should have called this year’s Oscars the white people awards,” Sophomore Julia Barton said. “There’s just a huge

lack of diversity with the Oscars and it was completely undeserved because ‘Selma’ was a fantastic movie and deserved way more attention than it actually got.”

This is not exactly a new development in the film industry.

The way the system works is that the studio executives get the final say on the vision released to the public.

There are a few exceptions, such as independent films, which have a history of also receiving major nominations such as “Birdman,” “Boyhood” and Sundance’s 2014 Grand Jury Prize winner “Whiplash.”

Professor Gavin Hawk, a working actor himself, said, “I think the lack of diversity shown in this year’s Oscar nominees highlights a deeper problem in the industry, which is that not enough films are being produced about persons of color.

“There is a wealth of talent in Hollywood that is interested in making movies for diverse audiences -- they just can’t get the financing.”

Studios are afraid of taking the risk on a film that they don’t believe will sell. They would much rather put their money behind films they would like to see, mainly starring men and women just like them.

The system needs more people such as Ava DuVernay or the famous director Spike Lee, who is known for pushing the racial envelope in his films.

Marriage equality not end of road

By Timothy Lee Asst. News Editor The marriage equality movement has made incredible strides over the past few years. In the summer of 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the part of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that prevented the federal government from recognizing even same-sex marriages sanctioned by a couple’s home state.

That decision launched a landslide of judicial activity which, along with legislative victories and victories at the ballot, has left 36 states and almost two-thirds of the United States population with the right to marry any consenting adult of any gender.

Federal courts are almost unanimous in their support for the idea that the U.S. constitution’s guarantee of equality for all before the law prevents states from only legally recognizing heterosexual relationships.

The Supreme Court will hear a same-sex marriage case this summer, and proponents of marriage equality are optimistic the court will rule in favor of equality for all before the law.

Gallup Polls now consistently show a majority of Americans support the legal recognition of samesex relationships, and we even reelected President Obama after he took a strong stance in support of

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marriage equality.

Closer to home, marriage equality is now the law of the land in Florida. At first glance, all seems well in the LGBT-rights movement. Does this mean we all get to live happily ever after?

I wish that were true. LGBT people today, just like AfricanAmericans after the civil-rights movement in the 1960s, have to face the fact that basic legal equality and a thin veneer of social acceptance sometimes only cover up deeper prejudices.

The recent murders of Mike Brown and Eric Garner have reminded our nation just how thin such a covering can be.

Therefore I am going to spend the next several months discussing some of these unpleasant truths.

Issues like employment and housing discrimination; youth homelessness and suicide; the continuing epidemic of violence against transgender people; the legality of conducting conversion or reparative therapy on minors; and the overwhelmingly white, male, and corporate face of the equality Marriage equality has made incredible strides over the past few years. movement today are challenges our white, or transgender still face inI want to educate and empower community has yet to overcome. credible legal and social challenges my fellow Eckerd students to act Legal recognition of same-sex for being members of the LGBT thoughtfully and purposefully to marriage is a huge symbolic victory, community. continue to build a more just socibut its availability does little to help These people need us to support ety in the aftermath of the greatest many of the most disadvantaged them, to use the social platform we symbolic victory the LGBT commembers of the LGBT community. have won for ourselves to advocate munity has won since homosexual Those who are young, poor, non- for their basic rights. behavior began to be legalized in

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graphic by Timothy Lee

the 1960s.

Even as we celebrate our success, we must all take a serious look at what we have yet to accomplish and, more importantly, in our rush to obtain acceptance from our society, who we might have left behind.

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Feb 6, 2014

Je suis liberté d’expression: A journalist’s right

By Teresa Young and Gary Furrow Managing Editors Japanese journalist Kenji Goto was executed at the end of January 2015 by the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIL).

This is the most recent incident in a series of targeting of journalists and free speech.

This causes many to question what the duties of a journalist are, and by what means they need to protect their freedom of speech.

Another name in journalism that was brought to the world’s attention is French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The magazine has come under fire for its depictions of religious characters and other controversial topics.

The paper has experienced several attacks since it began, such as terrorist groups killing many cartoonists and staff members.

The most recent attack in January 2015 prompted the social media movement “Je suis Charlie.”

The goal of the movement was to show support for free speech and the cartoonists who risked their lives to protect it.

Journalism is a crucial aspect of any democratic society because it provides a link between the government and its citizens.

The press acts as an open file to ensure that our political leaders are doing what they were elected to do and providing safety for the American public.

If the press is censored, democracies like America’s will cease to exist. Corrupt leaders thrive on misinformation and propaganda.

North Korea is isolated today in part because its leaders censor the media and their access to outside sources.

This leaves the people helpless and under the thumb of a dictator with ulterior motives.

Journalists resemble peaceful activists through their writing by

bringing current issues to light.

Without them, progress in society cannot happen, because the circle of change is incomplete.

Citizens will not know about the issues at hand if journalists are not there to tell about them, leaving little or no room for change to occur.

Knowledge is power, and good journalism makes information accessible to citizens every day.

The cartoonists and editors at Charlie Hebdo gave their sweat and tears to produce their magazines, but there’s no reason they should give their lives to protect their words.

They are providing a service to millions by standing behind their belief in free speech. As a democracy, we should support them as well.

As journalists, we fear that our words and humble opinions might backfire and cause us harm, even at a small student paper.

No one should be afraid of performing the basic right of speaking freely.

We don’t mean endorsing harmful or libel speech, but everyone should be able to express their point of view, even if it’s controversial.

We stand with the staff of Charlie Hebdo in that we believe they should be able to say what they think, regardless of the political ideology.

But journalists can only do so much alone. Journalism is a service to society -- one that doesn’t work without an audience.

Everyone can support free speech by being an active part of their community and by not taking everything at face value.

Democratic societies require their citizens to ask questions about the world around them, including their government and community structures.

This gives the people the ability to stand freely based on their own beliefs.

As the late editor of Charlie Hebdo, Stephane Charbonnier said, “I prefer to die standing than living on my knees.”

Courtesy of Chip Bok and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of Adam Zyglis and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of J.D Crow and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of Chip Bok and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of Daryl Cage and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of Zapiro and Cagle Cartoons

Courtesy of Adam Zyglis and Cagle Cartoons

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the current

Feb. 6 2014

Viewpoints 7

cartoon by Hunter Howie

Income inequality: The one percent is greater than us

By Max Curtis Contributing Writer Income inequality in the United States and abroad has been an increasingly popular topic in the past few years.

Here at Eckerd, we try to compensate for our student’s financial inequality by providing aid for those who qualify.

Occupy Wall Street, a controversial and somewhat disorganized movement that campaigned against government corruption, corporate influence in politics, social inequality and economic inequality threw this issue into the public eye in Sept. 2011.

Their slogan, “We are the 99 percent,” was the heart of the movement’s perceptions of the wealth gap in the United States, supported by real economic data.

Protests sprang up in many major cities in the United States. The peaceful demonstrations at Zuccotti park, in New York City’s financial

district, were brutally shut down.

FBI Documents released by Freedom of Information Act Requests by Partnership for Civil Justice Fund revealed protestors and organizers across the country were extensively spied on by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI through the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The feds also worked closely with private corporations and banks who feared repercussions from the protests.

I find this very disturbing; it looks like the federal government was acting as a private army for the “too big to fail” banks.

It reminds me of the Union Busting practices of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Occupy Wall Street debacle was similar to class warfare in my eyes.

The anti-poverty charity Oxfam, which Eckerd last semester modeled a banquet from to bring attention to world hunger, published a research paper on Jan. 19, bring-

ing to light recent massive income gains by the 1 percent globally.

The statistics were alarming to say the least.

The paper concluded that the richest 80 people in the world increased their wealth 50 percent from 2010 to 2014, an increase of $600 billion. Their net worth is now $1.9 trillion, more money than the GDP of over 140 countries (estimates from 2013).

The income gap looks more like a cavern.

“The wealth of these 80 individuals is now the same as that owned by the bottom 50 percent of the global population, such that 3.5 billion people share between them the same amount of wealth as that of these extremely wealthy 80 people.

It’s not hard to picture why many Americans are feeling discouraged,” Professor Max St. Brown said.

If we look at the regional statistics for Tampa, The Equality of Opportunity Project analyzed tax returns and found that for some-

one raised in the bottom fifth percentile of parent’s income less than $25,000, their chances of making it to the top fifth are 7 percent.

Thus in Tampa it has been more likely to draw one of four aces out of a deck of 52 cards than to experience full upwards economic mobility.

Wealth is concentrated in the hands of very few people.

Calling these 80 individuals “the 1 percent” at this point would be inaccurate considering they make up less than 100 people in a world that houses about 7 billion.

This phenomenon not only has negative economic and social impacts, but also major political impacts.

The 2008 Citizen’s United Supreme Court decision, which determined that under the First Amendment the government cannot restrict political expenditures, opened the floodgates for unlimited political campaign election donations by Political Action Committees (PACs). They are not even

required to disclose where their money originated from, fostering so called ‘dark-money’ influence.

Voters have no way of knowing who is funding candidates they support.

Elections and laws in the United States can now be bought and sold.

The super rich can very easily influence elections and legislation; money is power.

“I feel like the Citizens United decision takes away political power away from the average American citizen.” Freshman Kai Pawlak said.

In theory, extremely rich foreigners could influence our politics for their own interests, which is detrimental for our national security.

I think money should be separated from politics, or at least tightley regulated.

We may not be living in a free democratic society. I think this is essentially the definition of corruption, and incredibly dangerous for democratic values in a world where money is so intensely concentrated.

Meninism: A movement of mockery

By Hailey Escobar Online Editor I found myself faced with a series of photos online this past Winter Term. They involved young men in black shirts with white letters spelling out the term “meninism.”

I have heard the term before. It was originally used to describe the movement of men supporting the feminist ideal of gender equality.

But, this new “movement” has made a mockery of those men and the advances the feminist movement has achieved over the last few years.

Meninism is a form of mockery against feminism. It’s been created by men who feel offended by girls and women who want to be respected and seen as something more than their bodies.

The men who have formed their own meninist movements have found themselves feeling harassed by this push for respect.

There are a few points that they make that I can somewhat understand like the call for positive body image in the media for both men and women is understandable.

Pop culture has obviously done damage to both genders in that respect, and it’s something of which

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graphic by Hannah Hamontree A new “meninism” movement sparks conversation.

we should all be more aware.

But the rest of their complaints are far-fetched. They whine about holding open doors for women or offering to pay for meals, things that I would assume were common courtesy.

They see photos where a man carries a woman and ask why the

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woman’s not carrying him. They compare a woman asking about their height to men asking a woman about their breast size.

They even talk about having more of a say on the topic of abortion. True, if they are in a committed, stable relationship, then they can have that conversation, but

they also need to realize that it’s the woman that carries the child for nine months.

These meninists claim that they are fighting for equality -- that if a man doesn’t also have what a woman has, then there’s no equality.

They can have seventy cents to the dollar of everyone else. Let

them deal with everything that a woman’s body has to go through.

Take the history of being objectified, viewed as nothing more than a vessel for sex and childbearing, and forced to have their voices belittled that continues to persist today. I don’t know why they would want it, but there you go.

The meninism movement is not supported by all men. “[They are] a bunch of white guys that actually don’t care about men’s rights because they’re not actually talking about men that are marginalized like black men, like trans men, like gay men,” Sophomore Casper Brophy said. “It’s mostly a hyper masculine reactionary movement to feminism and a lot of the issues that they end up talking about are being combated by feminism.

The only reason they want to do it is because meninism is a reaction to a loss of privilege.”

As far as I’m concerned, they can continue to complain like children getting their favorite toy taken away.

There is still too much work to do where feminism is concerned and that is what I hope we all turn our focus to rather than pay attention to this movement.

8 Viewpoints

the current

Feb. 6 2014

Friendly Fire:

Bill could arm students, faculty on public college campuses

By Dan Whitely Columnist

On Nov. 20th, Myron May shot two students and an employee of Florida State University. All survived except the shooter, who was gunned down by responding police forces. This violent episode is a part of many school shootings occurring in the United States in recent years.

One of the most terrifying events was the infamous Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, which left 20 small children dead.

Obama commented on this phenomenon of school shootings, “The fact that 20 six-year-olds were gunned down in the most violent fashion possible and this town couldn’t do anything about it was stunning to me.”

Gun policies are a very hot topic right now and very controversial.

On Jan. 13th, Florida republican Rep. Greg Steube introduced bill HB 4005, which would allow weapons on school campuses. The proposed bill would allow those with concealed carry licenses to carry guns on to campuses and university facilities. Steube argued that gun-free zones are what allow these

Late in November of 2014, Florida State University (FSU) became yet another college that experienced a tragic occurrence of a school shooting. These events happening around the U.S. have pushed lawmakers to search for a solution, and are the reason behind much of the support for a new piece of legislation. Bill (HB 4005) in Florida’s state congress would grant college students on Florida’s public college campuses the ability to carry concealed weapons, joining Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, according to the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Gun control has long been debated in the United States, and if this bill should pass, the debate will be at Florida’s doorstep.

Representative Greg Steube of the Florida state congress authored the bill, which would allow students over the age of 21 with a concealed carry license to possess a firearm on campus. While Rep. Steube has good intentions with this bill, it could create a danger-

ous environment.

The proliferation of firearms on campuses would create a more hostile environment, and have the exact opposite effect that Rep. Steube is seeking. With an increased access to firearms, gun violence and possibly more school shootings could become rampant on Florida’s college campuses.

Steube’s bill fails to address underlying complexities that lead to shootings, and for this reason the bill will not effectively protect students. The support should be focused on preventative measures that seek to lessen the number of shooters through counseling long before they decide to pick up a weapon.

This is an intensely delicate and complex social issue that cannot be easily solved by blanket legislation; it must be addressed on several different fronts. While it will take longer to lower mass shootings through this technique, it will be far more effective in the long run. The current bill only aims to arm students against at-

shootings sprees to occur. They only prevent citizens from protecting themselves and force victims to wait for police to respond, during which more people could be injured or killed.

Critics of the bill say that allowing students to carry guns on campuses, where academic and social stress are notorious, not to mention the high drug and alcohol use there, would lead to more violence.

Eckerd Psychology professor Marjorie Sanfilippo told the Bradenton Herald that, “...university students have a higher suicide rate and often don’t use healthy ways to cope with stress. Is it really a good idea to give them a handgun to help them along the way?”

Professor Sanfilippo has a good point. Maybe arming students in such a high pressure environment could easily be a recipe for disaster. We know that the human brain does not fully develop until the age of 24 or 25, which can account for irrational decisions made by those with physically immature brains.

On the other hand, concealed

PerspECtives:

“My most memorable experience during winter term was the trip that the Leadership and Self-Discovery Practicum course took to Cedarkirk. Itwas a really great team building exercise and I met a lot of new people.”

- Matthew Mannion, freshman

tack, rather than eradicate the underlying issues that lead to this type of violence. The public support in Florida is riding the coattails of this horrendous incident.

Despite this tragic event happening so close to our campus, an appropriate response should be found that is not guided by emotional decision making.

As the occurrence of these shootings seems to be increasing in frequency across the U.S., a solution that mitigates the risk of shootings such as addressing mental illness of teens and proper protection of students on campuses must be developed.

Despite the apparent need for security, deputizing students to act as emergency vigilantes is not the answer. Adding more guns to the equation will not make campuses any safer, especially in the hands of students.

The likelihood for accidental injuries or the chilling possibility that gun violence come to the Eckerd school grounds is a serious possibility if the bill passes.

carry licenses in Florida are restricted to those 21 and older, limiting the amount of students able to bring a gun on campus if the bill were passed and became law.

If students were prohibited from carrying weapons and only faculty were, maybe this legislation could actually save some lives.

A common public perception on the issue of school shootings is that gun policies are the main contributing factor to these events -- school shootings or public massacres.

Loose laws allow mentally unstable people or those with dirty records to get their hands on guns legally. Many even say that we should outright ban assault rifles and large magazines which are commonly used by perpetrators and enable them to kill rapidly.

If we push for gun control, they say, the shootings will either decrease or stop.

The main problem here is mental health. If we poured funding and energy into legislation for identifying and treating people who have these mental health issues, we wouldn’t be

This last point while seemingly hyperbolic is well founded. The Harvard Injury Control Research Center has provided research that concludes that in areas where guns are more prevalent, the homicide rate is higher.Tackling a subject as complex as mass shootings, and their prevalence on school grounds is one deeply seeded in emotional sentiment.

Students should not have to live in fear of going to classes and studying.

The bill is shortsighted in its nature, but it does act as an effective starting point to engage in a national conversation, as well as an Eckerd conversation, although triton1trit does not apply to our campus directly.

College campuses are not the place for weapons, and putting weapons in the hands of students to act as vigilantes will create a higher likelihood of violence, whether accidental or intentional.

Let us not forget that universities are learning environments, not the Wild West.

here today.

America has a massive mental health crisis. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the States.

I am certainly not arguing against beefing up background checks and regulations that would prevent the wrong people from acquiring guns.

But I do believe that outright banning assault weapons would absolutely backfire. The black market would boom and criminals would still be able to buy them, as they are today. This is all simple economics.

As for this new bill, I think that arming students is a bad idea, but arming faculty is not. With the right regulation, shooters could be stopped in their tracks by trusted adults and lives could be saved.

I predict the idea of arming teachers will catch on across the country until we tackle our glaring mental health problem.

We need to take care of our citizens’ mental health just as we need to protect students, but we can solve both issues by focusing on identifying and treating the mentally ill before it is too late.

Max Curtis Contributing Writer

What was the most memorable moment from your Winter Term?

“One of our friends from Iowa came with us to the Keys. We walked by all these drag queen shows and we made him very uncomfortable because he wasn’t familiar with any of it. We are though because of drag queen bingo.”

- Luke Burton, senior

“My most memorable experience was probably getting to go downtown everyday to work at teh fish and wildlife research lab and mess around with shark DNA” - Chris Flight, senior

“I got to see a bald eagle on campus for the first time in my ornithology class.

- Michael Cicchetti, junior

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the current

Feb. 6, 2015

Science & Technology 9

Science & TEchnology Students experience adventure over Winter Term

By Sarah Raney Science and Tech. Editor

graphic by Hannah Hamontree

By Ania Szczesniewski Asst. Science & Tech. Editor Sizzling hot and searing your taste buds, hot sauce can put you in a world of pain. Some people can’t live with it, others can’t live without it. Whether you crave the zing of fiery peppers or take the time to wipe wasabi off your sushi, everyone knows what it means to call something spicy.

Why does spicy food instantly connect to heat? Well, there’s a bit of science to our experience with spice that sheds some light on this question.

For starters, we commonly describe something as “tasting” spicy, but are we actually tasting it? Spiciness isn’t like bitter or sweet in the way we pinpoint a flavor, it’s more of a feeling elicited by chemical compounds.

Script writer for TED Education Rose Eveleth explains that these compounds interact with sensory neurons called polymodal nociceptors. They are not only on your tongue but in your nose and all over your skin.

Extreme heat will stimulate these same receptors, so when a drop of Tabasco hits your tongue, your brain is processing it as something physically hot. Your brain is actually telling you your tongue is burning. The temperature is purely an illusion brought upon by befuddled neural receptors. The exposure of polymodal nociceptors to menthol will do the opposite by making your brain think your tongue is freezing. This is what we call mintyness.

After you’ve committed and taken a bite, it’s time for fight or flight. Our brain is naturally concerned with our body’s wellbeing, so it sends out a series of orders for an increased heart rate, tearing eyes and sweat to try and combat the heat. Once you’ve had enough of a thrill, don’t turn to water because on a chemical level it won’t work as a spiciness antidote. Well, temporarily maybe, but dairy is the way to go for lasting relief.

The substances that cause spiciness, like capsaicin in chilies, are oils that bind to receptors on your tongue. Water and oil don’t mix, so that Dasani will glide right past the capsaicin. Mythbuster hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage verify that milk, on the other hand, possesses the fatloving compound casein. Drink some milk and this casein will bind with the oily capsaicin, effectively washing it away. This is why alongside daredevil Indian cuisine there is frequently a dollop of yogurt. It helps quell the prickling until you’re ready to brave another scoop. The cold Indian yogurt-based drink lassi is another way to take a break from the spice.

Whether you’re an adrenaline junky looking for added excitement with your rice and beans or you’re hoping to disinfect your questionable fish, remember: don’t touch your eyes.

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Winter Term is a time of exploration for many students, whether it is on the high seas, deep in the jungle or beneath the waves. Many science-oriented Winter Terms were abroad throughout January, including Science at Sea, Belize: Tropical Ethnobotany, Natural History of the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, and Tropical Marine Environments: Roatán.

Science at Sea Marine Science and Chemistry Professor David Hastings led Science at Sea. The group sailed through the Caribbean and U.S. Virgin Islands aboard a 134-foot, twomasted brigantine. They worked with Sea Education Association (SEA). Hastings said that the students were usually working around the clock, whether they were collecting data, on watch or manning the boat.

Two Eckerd alums, Farley Miller (‘14) and Sasha Giametti (‘14), were also crewing on the ship while the group was there.

“It was really fun getting to sail with Marine Science graduates who are very good at what they do,” Hastings said.

Although the trip was challenging, it evoked a sense of adventure.

According to Hastings, the group was sailing in high seas with very high winds, up to 35 knots an hour.

Students collected data and even learned celestial navigation. They also aided the crew in manning the boat. While on the trip, they each presented briefly about their data and wrote a research paper once back on land.

photo courtesy of David Hastings David Hastings, Junior Johnny Cheng and Junior Kevin Hupp hook in and sit on the edge of the ship.

Sophomore and Marine Science major Kat Husiak enjoyed the sense of adventure and responsibility out on the boat.

“It was such an amazing feeling to have that responsibility and know that you were contributing to make sure we don’t sink or hit another boat,” she said.

Belize Not all trips were spent out on the high seas, though. Biology Professor Liza Conrad and Anthropology Professor Jessie Fly led Belize: Tropical Ethnobotany. Ethnobotany is the study of people, plants and

how they interact, according to Fly. The group spent most of the time in Belize with two days in Tikal, Guatemala.

Much of the trip focused on the medicinal uses of plants from a biological perspective but also their use over time — an anthropological perspective.

“We were thinking a lot about Mayan medicinal use of plants, such as plants for food, plants for housing,” Fly said. “We were trying to get students to think about that across time as well, from ancient Mayan populations to contempo-

rary Mayan populations.”

One of the most memorable parts for the group was the night hike at Tikal.

“We all got up at 3:30 a.m. and hiked through the pitch black jungle,” Fly said. “We climbed up to the top of this extremely high temple. We didn’t actually see the sun rise, but we saw the other temples rise up out of the mist of the forest.”

Go to www.theonlinecurrent.com for the full article, including a description of the Galapagos and Roatán trips.

Eckerd College opens new greenhouse at CMLS

By Beau Maysey Staff Writer

Since late September, Eckerd has been in the process of developing its own greenhouse, and it has recently been finished and is ready for use by the Eckerd community.

Biology Professor Liza Conrad has worked with multiple agencies to design and setup the layout for the building.

Construction began on Sept. 24 with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Several contractors were hired for various functions of the greenhouse development. The Biltmore Company put down the foundation of the building, including cement pads and utilities. Nexus, a company from Colorado, brought the structural parts down to St. Pete in a truck on the first week of December and finished assembling it

by Christmas. Wadsworth, a third company, helped with the environmental controls inside the greenhouse.

“They’re experts in what they do, and we’re very happy to have them out there,” Conrad said.

The new greenhouse has a few methods to decrease its extra energy usage. The first is a reverse osmosis system, which will act to purify the water coming out of the hoses of any sediment. It efficiently keeps water in circulation for plants in the greenhouse and reduces wear on the water tank.

“It’s a very high-tech system,” Conrad said.

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The second efficiency measure for the new greenhouse is its cooling system. Developed by Assistant Facilities Director Rick Briscoe, the ventilation system in place takes advantage of the James Center’s air conditioning, sending overcondensation via an underground pipe, to help lower the temperature of the greenhouse.

“Think about how much water from AC goes right down the drain — a huge amount of water,” Briscoe said.

The system in place should conserve a massive amount of water as air conditioning is ‘recycled’ to the greenhouse. Managers of the greenhouse, including Conrad, will be working with the Eckerd Composting Program to dispose of all soil and plant material. Planting of seeds should happen by the end of February.

One academic advantage is the ability to hold classes and experiments out there. The greenhouse may also serve as a resource for faculty and student research projects, including senior theses. Any student of any major can check out the greenhouse, but it will be locked at all times it is not in use.

Contact with a member of the science department is necessary in order to access it. For Eckerd staff, the greenhouse has been a long time coming, originally having been planned for introduction along with the James Center.

“It’s a really exciting addition to natural sciences at Eckerd, and the

photo by Lia Nydes A construction worker exits the newly constructed greenhouse.

final piece to the James Center,” Conrad said.

Students are also excited for the new addition.

“I think that it’s a very exciting

and new innovation,” Sophomore Jessie Green said. “It will provide a very valuable resource for the students and a good environment for learning.”

10 Science and Technology

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Feb. 6, 2015

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Uncertain history and clearing the fuzz

By Conor Sean McKenna Columnist It seems like our brains are always out to get us, like a computer, holding vast amounts of information but proving to be uncooperative at crucial times.

For me, my brain can label short term memories as unimportant. I don’t have a condition, it is only the circumstance we can find ourselves in when, after listening to something, you turn around and ask, “Wait… what?”

This never feels like our fault either. Our brain-computers at times just cease functioning and need to reboot. This neurological “shutdown” of the reflection system in our brain is what contributes to our control over our attention. The other brain system that controls our attention is the autonomic system, but these actions created are purely subconscious, so we cannot place the blame here. It is our reflection system that controls our voluntary attention and contributes to “zoning out.” And the best way we can describe this absence of knowledge from our memory is what we call being “fuzzy.”

This fuzziness reaches a longer scale too. Our own human history is filled with the fuzz, uncertainties and gaps in what we can remember or know. As scientists, we look back at history and look at the data to determine what we can know for “certain.” This is the difference between relative and absolute history, terms which geologists use to create the geological time scale, the history of our world. Absolute dating in-

volves specific dates in which we know an event occurred. It is important to note that the geologic time scale is filled with the fuzz, or what we should call relative dating. Relative dating is placing an approximate time span on an event, in contrast with other ongoing events. The geologic time scale is a completely relative dating reference.

So if the geologic time scale is fuzzy, how can we organize a time scale to begin with? Well, scientists, like us, piece together different evidence and compare them so that we can come to an understanding about what and when something happened. And what is this evidence? Fossils. Glorious fossils. We find fossils that are relative to each other and give them dates, determined by where they were found. The oldest fossils, by the way, are usually found deeper than younger ones. This is relative dating, getting down basic ideas from the fuzz. Another kind of dating is radiometric dating, measuring the amount of decay in certain elements can tell us how long the elements have been there. It is like knowing how much mold grows on an apple after a week, and then seeing how much there is on your apple to determine how long it has been sitting out.

A fun feature of the geologic time scale is that it is always changing. Each year we have been discovering new and interesting fossils to help clear out the fuzziness and come to a greater understanding of the past 4.6 billion years (the age of the earth).

Just recently, Scientific American

released a finding on relatively newly discovered fossils found to be over two billion years old.

Fossils indicate that life on earth back then had not yet evolved to resemble anything familiar, and the fossils found take the shapes of flat disks or circular blobs. The significance this brings to the scientific world is the greater understanding of life’s history on earth.

We now have a slightly clearer image of what happened many, many years ago.

If that is too long ago for you to care about, the same dating techniques on fossils help us understand more about “recent” history as well. Israel Hershkovitz, a leader in a recent study published

by Nature, has been examining ancient human fossils. The study began in a newly discovered cave believed to be a home for our ancient human relatives, Neanderthals. Within the cave, a Homo sapien skull was found. This is an important connection, placing our species alongside our ancient relatives. Hershkovitz’s study and understanding of human history is also relative dating, finding evidence that reveals the history of our species.

I encourage you to use relative dating in your life, and not just in the world of science. If John is sleeping on the floor, and there is a keg on top of him, we can know that John fell asleep before the keg was placed on him. By looking at evidence and arranging a sequence of events, we can understand more about what happened in those fuzzy moments. Let us use relative dating to help us see through the fuzz in our lives.

What’s up with WhatsApp?

By Christa Perry Staff Writer As Eckerd students took off for Winter Term trips out of the country, many turned to WhatsApp to communicate with loved ones back home.

“I talked to my brother and mom on WhatsApp when I was in Honduras for Winter Term,” Senior Alexis Berger said.

WhatsApp is an application that can be downloaded for communication abroad. According to their website, WhatsApp uses the same Internet data plan used for emails and web browsing. It allows the user to send messages across the country without paying the SMS (short message service) fee. SMS charges can pile up, especially while abroad.

WhatsApp also allows the user to see if their message sent when one check-mark appears next to the message. When two check-marks appear next to the message, then the recipient’s phone has received

the message. When the two check marks are blue, the recipient has read the message.

There is also a voice message feature on WhatsApp that allows the user to send sound messages to their loved ones.

“It’s convenient,” Berger said. “It runs solely on Wi-Fi. It was easy to use, and I knew if people were getting my messages.”

There were 20 Winter Term courses off campus, most of them abroad. And that’s not to mention all the students who study abroad for a whole semester. According to the college’s website, in November 2003 Eckerd was named one of the baccalaureate institutions in the nation with the highest proportion of students who study abroad during their undergraduate career by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Many Eckerd students study abroad and a lot of students are worried about their phone bills.

Sophomore Corelle Rokicki studied abroad last semester in London. She used WhatsApp while

she was out of the country.

“I needed to talk to people from America when I was in the U.K.,” Rokicki said. “I didn’t get billed using WhatsApp. My phone bill went so high from texting, so I started using WhatsApp, and it changed my life.”

WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Android and Nokia phones and can be downloaded online or through the App Store.

graphic by Hannah Hamontree WhatApp promotes international communication without racking up phone bills.

Student Research Spotlight: Shannon Weeks investigates Alzheimer’s research

photo by Peter Bouveron Senior Shannon Weeks observes C. elegans worms for effects of Alzheimer’s under the microscope.

By Graydon Neill Staff Writer Over the past year Senior and Biology major Shannon Weeks has been assisting Biology Professor Denise Flaherty in researching the effects of antioxidants on the buildup of Alzheimer’s-causing plaque in genetically modified C. elegans worms. Weeks became an assistant to Flaherty after being introduced to the program by the former lead research assistant, alumna Lilly Ellis (‘14). Now the lead student researcher herself, Weeks is writing her undergraduate thesis on her work with Flaherty. Weeks is also assisted by a small team made up of Sophomores Jennifer Chaves and Julia Tanquary.

As a research assistant, Weeks has worked on almost every aspect of the project.

“A normal day consists of anything from maintenance, which is making sure the worms have food and have enough room on the plate they live on, to dosing them [with compounds to slow Alzheimer’s causing plaque buildup], to counting them, to collecting data,” she said.

The maintenance aspect is some of the most common work, such as feeding the worms and doing counts of the worms. She also assesses their physical states. She has had the opportunity to work with some of the more interesting equipment the biology lab has to offer, including a confocal microscope, which displays ultra-detailed

images to a monitor connected to the microscope for observing the worms.

However fun working with fancy equipment is, Weeks’ favorite part of the project has always been the results. To see the project making headway towards the ultimate goal of slowing the impact of Alzheimer’s has been the most exciting thing to her. Weeks is very aware that her contribution is just one piece of many people’s work that has been going on since before she was ever involved.

The project has been evolving over the years.

“I’m testing different compounds than what the person before me tested, and whoever comes after me will probably test different compounds as well,” Weeks said.

The project will go on after she graduates, but Weeks has forever been touched by the project, changing majors from Marine Science to Biology after her fascinating experience.

Weeks recommends that to participate with research one should talk to a professor in your major, talk to students who are already doing research and keep an open mind.

“I stumbled into the project,” she said.

Weeks has always seen the project as an adventure, and is glad to have worked on it. Just as she has left an indelible mark upon the project, it too has affected her greatly as she continues to pursue her education in biology.

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the current

Feb. 6, 2015

Arts & Entertainment 11

Arts & Entertainment Mad Hatters welcomes Eckerd DJs

photo by Nate Gozlen

Mad Hatters is giving Eckerd DJs a chance to expand their audiences outside of campus.

By Jennifer Lincoln A&E Editor At first glance, the Mad Hatters Ethnobotanical Tea Bar is just like any other new-age hippie, non-alcoholic Florida venue. But once you take off your jacket and stay awhile, you realize that the Mad Hatters is much more than that.

Mad Hatters exudes a relaxed vibe, which is evident from its local artwork-filled walls and friendly staff that are more than happy to explain the various types of kava and kratom that they serve. Kava and kratom are non-alcoholic drinks derived from the South Pacific Islands. The only thing missing

FRIDAY

from the scene was an Eckerd College twist.

Twisting their way into Mad Hatters, Senior David Steren and Sophomore Tate Spencer were established as the resident band for Thursday nights. The disc jockey duo began their gig three weeks ago on Jan. 22, but started performing together last year at Eckerd’s South Beach Sessions and continue to do so this year.

Steren describes their sound as, “a unique fusion of dubstep, funk, glitch-hop and blues.”

Eckerd students attending the Thursday night performances at Mad Hatters get to enjoy the same DJ sets they dance to at parties on

SATURDAY

campus in a completely unique and new atmosphere. Mad Hatters’ chill atmosphere includes a large spread of comfortable couches surrounding hookah tables and space to hop up and groove if the feeling catches you.

Mad Hatters is appealing for Eckerd College students because it is the first time a school DJ has chosen to play at a venue that is non-alcoholic, opening up the opportunity for all students to participate in the Thursday night outings, not just those 21 and up.

“I really like it because people can go and just chill with awesome people and not be drinking,” Junior Avalon Langevin said. “It’s cool to see that my friends appreciate the

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same music I do even when they’re sober.”

Steren and Spencer add to unique ambience of Mad Hatters by mixing pre-recorded DJ sets with live performance playing the drums and saxophone. A smoke machine, laser lights and the same familiar remixes of songs heard at South Beach Sessions such as “Ignition” has the crowd either dancing in their seats or up on their feet.

“The overall good vibe at mad hatters is definitely something to experience,” Junior Miranda Rossi said. “It’s not your average ‘bar’ but it’s a kava bar, which makes it unique. If you’ve had a stressful week and you want to get out and chill, this is the place to go.”

TUESDAY

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First Friday Shuttles 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Mailboxes

Drag Queen Bingo 9 p.m.

Fox Hall

ECQSA Bonfires 8 p.m.

South Beach

The Current meeting 7 p.m.

Taco Tuesday LinkedIn workshop 6 p.m Career Services

CPS: Opening film International Cinema Series 7 p.m.

Miller Auditorium

13 Valentine’s dinner 5 p.m.

Caf Manakamana 7 p.m.

Miller Auditorium Speed Dating & Stuff a Bear 8 p.m.

Fox Hall

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CPS: Speaker Christopher Faraone 7 p.m.

Miller Auditorium

Why Knowing About Religion Matters 7:30 p.m.

Fox Hall

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CPS: “The Vagina Monologues” 7 p.m.

Miller Auditorium

ECQSA Bonfires 8 p.m.

South Beach

CPS: Haitian Immigration to the U.S 6 p.m.

Triton Room

CPS: The Story Behind the Food.

7 p.m.

Fox Hall

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The Current meeting 7 p.m.

Mad Hatters is a local, non-alcoholic bar that offers student discounts on Thursdays when David Steren and Tate Spencer are performing. This chilled atmosphere is cohesive with Eckerd’s collective culture.

“Mad Hatters is a great way for students to leave campus and be social,” Sophomore Blair Carlyle said.

“To meet new people in the community without the pressure that a club puts on people. You don’t feel threatened at Mad Hatters, you don’t have to worry about being approached by some creep expecting you to dance. You can be yourself, meet new people, and have a great time.”

WEDNESDAY

11 “Eurydice” Auditions 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Bininger Theater

THURSDAY

12 “Eurydice” Auditions 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Bininger Theater

CPS: Talking About Race Across Racial Lines.

7 p.m.

Miller Auditorium

18 Women’s Basketball 5:30 p.m.

McArthur Center Men’s Basketball 7:30 p.m.

McArthur Center

19 CPS: Immigration: The experience of women academics 7 p.m.

Triton Room

12 Arts & Entertainment

the current

Feb. 6, 2015

Cross your heart crossword

For answers, go to www.theonlinecurrent.com

crossword by Jennifer Lincoln

Across 1 Month of winter term 4 Caffeinated beverage that comes in a can 8 Canned meat brand 12 Past 13 Brother of Abel 14 Rice dish 16 Score to settle 18 Greek for pineapple 20 City in Colorado known for skiing 21 Military vehicle 23 Slang for “How are you?”

24 Regret 25 ____ Jone’s industrial average 26 Sensually appealing 27 The terrible ____ 29 Kingdom of Arthur 32 A clumsy or stupid person 33 Chichi 34 What the Nile is 38 A fun toy to throw around outside 40 Physical act of love 41 Not tied 42 Dupes 43 Chop 44 A common gift to give your boyfriend/girlfriend on Valentine’s Day 46 Cozy rooms 47 Mold 50 A place to rent a room if you are traveling 51 The name of a large clock in England 52 The building blocks of life 53 Makes a hole 55 Machine tool 58 Channel 60 Subsequent 63 National bird of America 64 Billions of years 65 Professional basketball association 66 What the pilot uses 67 To let someone borrow 68 Goddess of the dawn

Down 1 Caffeinated beverage for the morning 2 What happens as a person gets older 3 Type of charity business 4 Setting 5 Type of grain usually fed to horses 6 Morse code dot 7 Body structure 8 Bridge 9 The color of pigs and bubble gum 10 __ ___ carte 11 Personage 15 Fake 17 ___ ex machina 19 Mole 22 Admiration 25 A romantic dinner 26 Move while sleeping 27 What vegetarians love 28 Advise 29 Creed 30 Small sources of light for your home 31 Glowing spheres 33 Brother of Cain 35 A card given to loved ones on Feb. 14 36 Abbreviation for economics 37 Representatives 39 Sieve 40 Take in 42 Sexually appealing to the senses 45 Hairpiece 46 Loved 47 Disks 48 Stake 49 Mother of Isaac in the Bible 51 Blend together 53 A type of pickle 54 Object 56 Bum 57 Units for measuring time 59 How old someone is 61 Downwind 62 Large weight unit

Graffiti on and off campus Araesia King Viewpoints Editor

photo by Jennifer Lincoln

Graffiti artists have painted large murals throughout St. Petersburg.

By Jennifer Lincoln A&E Editor St. Petersburg is characterized by a vibrant culture that is evident wherever you go. Among the many things that are distinctly “St. Pete” is the presence of street art on the buildings downtown. One cannot go out to eat at Taco Bus or pick up used books at Haslam’s without running into giant impressive murals overlooking the streets.

More than just tags, the street art is intricate and well thought-out, covering everything from Marilyn Monroe to sea life. The street art of St. Petersburg inspires smiles and a feeling of pride in the beautiful city we all call home throughout the

school year.The graffiti adds to the eclectic feel of the city, and extends to the Eckerd College campus.

Tracing back six years, the graffiti boards on campus have functioned as a way for students to express themselves artistically within the Eckerd community.

The first expression board was established at Kappa, but the idea soon spread to other complexes.

“It was conceived out of a dual effort between the residents of Kappa at the time, and Housing and Residence Life to reduce the amount of vandalism from graffiti in Kappa,” Director of Residence Life Jamey Handorf said. “The idea was that if students were given a space to publicly express themselves then

they would be less likely to vandalize the other areas of the complex with the various mediums currently used on the expression board.”

Anyone on campus is allowed to use the expression boards, and they have been used throughout the years to carry anything from funny sayings to stencils of “Parks and Recreation’s” Ron Swanson. Graffiti art is overwhelmingly present in the St. Petersburg community and the expression boards on campus are a good way to tie that creative aspect of the culture of the city into Eckerd. “I think they’re a really nice addition and its cool that we have a place to do art. It’s always fun to see when new stuff comes up.” Junior Annabelle Sweetall said.

photo by Eileen McGraw Administrative assistant for Creative Arts Chris McLean has been working for Eckerd for about nine years. She says she couldn’t live without the waterfront because of it’s restorative effects.

“When you’re young, play is really important. One time a friend and I went to a store opening that we weren’t supposed to. The store was sort of like a big Kmart. We just sort of snuck out and went to that, and then we got into a little trouble for it. We didn’t get anything from the store to celebrate our success. That would be evidence.”

Eckerd students enoy the freedom to express themselves and decorate graffiti boards across campus.

photo by Peter Bouveron

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the current

Feb. 6, 2015

Health & Fitness 13

Health & fitness The best time of day for your workout suspect that exercise in the morning prepares a person’s body clock for a day o f

By Christie Schafer Staff Writer As college students, it can be difficult to wake up earlier than is necessary for an 8:20 a.m. class. However, research suggests that morning exercise can actually improve sleep.

Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle

activity, while nighttime exercise increases the chance of disruption in their sleep cycle. Another study, conducted at Appalachian State University in 2011, found that participants who exercised at 7 a.m. had improved sleep patterns and reduced blood pressure. Improving sleep patterns is beneficial for weight loss because our quality of sleep influences cer-

tain hormones relating to appetite.

The debate for the ideal time of day to exercise stems far beyond sleep though. In addition to decreasing chances of insomnia, Livestrong. com states that the morning may be the best time to exercise if your goal is to lose weight. This is because your body continues to draw energy from its glycogen stores while you are asleep in order to sustain basic bodily functions. Since your glycogen stores depleted overnight, your body will turn to its fat stores for energy instead.

However, intense training at the crack of dawn is not ideal for exercisers whose goal is to build muscle. According to Livestrong, exercise before breakfast runs the risk of burning your body’s muscle tissue, in addition to your fat.

For those who would like to lift heavy weights and improve their overall performance, exercising in the afternoon is the most effective time of day.

“The reason for that is your muscle strength is at its peak, its highest,” explains neurologist Dr. Phyllis Dee on CNN.com.

“You’re going to be less likely to injure yourself. It’s also a time when people are most awake and alert.”

While this separation of goals may help some people meet their target, students who are not eager

to work out at the time suggested or have a class conflict may be better suited for shorter spurts throughout the day instead of doing one extended session at the gym. The National Weight Control Registry reports that short, intense workouts have helped more than 4,000 people lose 30 pounds or more and keep it off for a year or longer.

No matter what time of day a person decides to go to the gym, it is important to establish an exercise habit.

“People who are just starting out and who exercise randomly are more likely to drop out,” Sally White, Ph.D., dean and professor at Lehigh University said to WebMD. More important than the time of day is finding the time that will allow consistency. If someone is still struggling to make exercise a priority, scheduling it for the same time each day will help develop the habit.

For people who are weeks into their routine and are still battling to enjoy it, it may be time to add variety since they have already established the exercise habit. While the best time for fat burning is in the morning and the best time for performance is in the afternoon, the most crucial aspect is making exercise a key part of your daily routine. graphic by Hannah Hamontree

Sugar, your smoothie needs work

By Samantha Schepps Staff Writer Smoothies can be a very nutritious and delicious drink for anyone. For many students, getting a fruit smoothie from Triton’s Pub is a daily habit. Many times before a workout or after class, students will head to the pub to grab a mango and strawberry smoothie to get a little boost of energy.

Smoothies seem to be the most popular drink at the pub, averaging around 150 per day, according to Director of Retail for Bon Appétit Dawn Patterson. However, many people do not realize fruit contains a high amount of sugar. Although this sugar is fructose, a healthy sugar, excessive amounts of it may not be the best for one’s health. Additionally, the smoothies at the pub contain pineapple juice and honey upon request. This more than doubles the amount of sugar compared to if it was just the frozen fruit and ice in the smoothie.

The most popular fruits that people get in their smoothies are berries. Little nutritional information is provided about the fruit at the pub. Peaches seem to have the lowest amount of sugar, with nine grams per smoothie. Mangoes seem to have the highest sugar content, averaging around 22 grams in a smoothie while blueberries average around 13 grams of sugar in each smoothie.

Now we have to factor in the pineapple juice in every smoothie.

Additionally, if one gets honey in their smoothie, one has to take a

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look into the sugar content of the honey as well. Concerning pineapple juice, there’s about 60 calories in the four ounces contained in each smoothie and 13 grams of sugar. Finally, four ounces of honey is added, which averages around 60 calories and 16 grams of sugar.

A typical mango smoothie, according to these numbers, averages around 51 grams of sugar. According to the American Heart Association, adults should be receiving no more than 25 grams of sugar in a day. That is twice as much sugar a person should have for that day.

Sophomore Kendra Heiser was shocked to hear this information.

“That makes me a little worried what health values the rest of the food has.”

Knowing this new information, one should think twice before adding the extra sugars to their smoothie. Smoothies are good in moderation, but make sure a well-balanced diet and a healthy workout plan are stirred in with the smoothie.

graphic by Andrew Friedman Fruit contains high amounts of sugar.

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INSIDE H&F Hydration

page 14

Clean sports drink

page 14

Scan to hear the playlist:

Resources: Campus Safety 727-864-8260 Outreach Services 727-864-8248 EC-ERT 727-772-3760 Serious Emergencies Call 911

By Blaide Woodburn Health and Fitness Editor

photo by of Nate Gozlan Smoothies are a popular item at Triton’s Pub.

Struggling to meet your fitnessrelated New Year’s Resolution?

Confused on which diets are actually worth attempting to maintain with cafeteria food? Data from researchers at the University of Toulouse suggests that dietary habits centered around new guidelines could aid in the study of how adipose cells, or fat cells, respond to weight control. This study consisted of 135 obese women who were put on a strict dietary regimen.

Lipidome, or total number of fat cells, and gene expression in each woman was monitored throughout eight weeks. Data comparison between pre caloric and post caloric intervention revealed various genetic tendencies for fat storage between experimental groups.

The results from this trial may pave the way for new approaches to dieting that target fat cell growth, and consequently expose fad diets.

14 Health & Fitness

the current

Feb. 6, 2015

The importance of hydration

By MJ Harford Staff Writer

Staying hydrated is absolutely critical for well-being. Proper hydration affects everything from skin appearance and health to digestion and energy. According to Medical Daily, an estimated 75 percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated. Issues like weight gain, chronic fatigue, sleep irregularity, joint and muscle pain and disease are all affected by and can stem from chronic dehydration.

All symptoms are preventable and most long term damage is reversible if proper hydration is practiced, but that takes body awareness. Understanding what the body actually needs can be difficult because the human body is so unique and its need for water so sophisticated it will communicate the message of thirst in every way possible. Water can be found in many sources: food and other

beverage cravings that may appear like hunger or sugar are really hydration cravings. Often when pangs of hunger or waves of fatigue hit, people reach for a bite to eat instead of first trying a glass of water.

Also, according to the American Heart Association, paying close attention to things like urine color, amount of sweat lost and energy is important as they are all important indicators of hydration levels.

The only way to respond to one’s body’s language is to listen and respond in a variety of ways. Do hunger cravings pick up in the afternoon?

Have you had any liquid since your morning coffee? Swap out a snack with a big glass of infused water or tea. Remember that each body is different, so the adage of “eight glasses of water a day” may or may not apply. Some need significantly more water to function at optimum levels and some can do with less.

It is also important to not wait until thirst sets in to drink water,

because at that point the dehydration effects have already begun to set in. So start each day with a room temperature glass of water with lemon to kickstart the hydration process and assist with further detoxification. Stay prepared throughout the day by carrying a water bottle filled with plain or infused (cucumber, mint and citrus make great flavors) water. Fill up at the caf; often they serve a variety of creatively infused waters. Senior Katie Boudreau agrees that it is “a really good way to get people to drink more water, especially if they don’t like the taste of plain water.”

Drinking more water will happen naturally if it is easily available and if it is desirable. Also, making an at-home sports drink to fuel during and after exercise, instead of reaching for the artificial variety post-workout, will do even more to maintain healthy hydration levels. This issue’s Meals with Midge features an easy recipe.

Meals with Midge: Clean Sports Drink

By MJ Harford Staff Writer Sports drinks are notoriously over-consumed. They were created for the purpose of refueling high performing athletes postperformance with necessary carbohydrates, electrolytes and water. They are also specifically targeted for athletes performing in areas of high heat and humidity, hence the classic “Gatorade” created for Florida’s very own Gators football team. Today sports drinks are advertised as healthy alternatives to sodas and appropriate for children — no physical activity involved. The featuring of high nutrition content, promotion of physical activity and mental benefits of exercise associated with the idea of sports drinks contribute to this misconception that these beverages are appropriate outside of the high energy exertion area they are meant for.

Even if exercising rigorously in the Florida sun, reaching for a Gatorade or Powerade will, as the label details, carry multiple varieties of fructose syrups, dyes and high calories along with the intended beneficial ingredients. Making an at-home version will bring all the necessary calories, electrolytes and carbohydrates that the body needs. The version listed below includes all the basic components of a refuel drink; if it’s an especially hot day or a strenuous workout, adding mineral drops can add an extra restorative boost. The kind of herb used can change depending on what ou would like to adjust; like mint for energy and cleansing, or basil for the immune system and hormonal balance.

Ingredients:

eetened) coconut water (unsw 8 oz filtered water or ney 1 tablespoon raw ho 1/4teaspoon sea salt rus) juice (or any other cit 2 tablespoons lemon herbs) mint leaves (or other 1 tablespoon crushed

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass and whisk or stir well to combine.

photo by MJ Harford This recipe can be prepared with local, fresh produce.

Each issue I’ll be sharing an allergen-friendly recipe that is easy, nutritious and delicious. If you make one, tag me in your Instagram photos (@midgesmoments) with the hashtag #mealswithmidge. If you have any requests, like converting a classic recipe to its healthier version, or a particular kind of meal for a particular allergy, email me at mjharfor@eckerd.edu.

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Feb. 6, 2014

Sports 15

Sports ‘Turf wars’ raise concern for artificial turf at Eckerd

By Christina Rosetti Asst. Sports Editor

Christina Rosetti is a member of the Women’s Soccer team A recent lawsuit against the Federation Internationale de Football Association raises health concerns regarding artificial turf. How safe is artificial turf and is Eckerd College Athletics putting athletes in danger?

For the first time since the first World Cup began in 1930, the event is being held on artificial turf. Not only is it the first time the event is being held on artificial grass but the turf is also making its debut during the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Males have never played on artificial turf during FIFA-sanctioned tournaments, leading to a discrimination lawsuit against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association.

This lawsuit also focuses on the heightened risk of injury and how artificial turf changes the style of play.

Though used primarily in climates where grass cannot survive, Eckerd College has an artificial turf field.

In early June, Eckerd replaced Turley Field with a newer more grass-like artificial turf. Artificial turf is often favored because of the advantages it has. It requires little to no maintenance.

This type of surface drains independently and never needs mowing or fertilizer to grow evenly.

While there are advantages to artificial turf, chance of injury is believed to increase.

According to a segment on ESPN’s Sports Science, artificial turf increases pressure on the ACL joint up to 45 percent. Joint injuries are also 67 percent more likely to occur on artificial turf than on natural grass. Sports Science is a

TV series produced by ESPN that uses modern technology to research the physics behind sports.

“With turf, unlike grass, the ground doesn’t tend to give as much,” said Head Athletic Trainer Andrew Keane. “This causes more torsion in the joints and creates more vulnerability.”

In addition to joint injuries, skin abrasions or turf burns are three times more likely to occur on artificial turf due to increased friction of the synthetic grass fibers.These skin abrasions place athletes at risk of infection.

ESPN’s Sports Science studied the difference in playing on artificial turf versus natural grass. The speed of play on artificial turf is faster due to the coefficient of restitution. This measures the rate of speed before and after impact with a surface. After a ball bounces, it retains a 28 percent higher speed on artificial turf than on natural grass. This in turn demands a higher speed of play from athletes.

At the collegiate level of soccer, preseason usually takes place in August, one of the hottest months of the year in Florida.

According to an ESPN’s Sports Science study, surface temperatures of artificial turf can exceed that of natural grass by up to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Playing on this surface can increase the chance of dehydration and reduces reaction time up to 30 percent.

On an average August day in preseason at Eckerd, temperatures reach up to 91 degrees. After adding in the temperature of the surface, the feels-like temperature on the artificial surface can reach approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

“During our first game of preseason, some of us had to spray

our cleats with water,” said men’s soccer player Tolin Vaccaro. “Every time we stepped on the field it felt like our feet were on fire.”

Combining a lower reaction time with a higher speed of play changes the way the game is played and women’s national teams are worried it will dictate the success of teams in the upcoming 2015 World Cup. According to FIFA’s website, “The particular geographic and climate conditions in Canada mean it is more expedient to play on artificial turf.”

Despite protest from numerous top-tier players, such as Abby Wambach and Nadine Angerer, FIFA has defended artificial turf and plans to keep the turf for the tournament.

“It changes the game. Not only is it more dangerous, not only does it change the way the ball rolls, but it will change the way the viewers see it as well,” said Wambach in an interview with the Des Moines Register. “I want to be able to play seven games and hopefully get to the final but it’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.”

FIFA claims to have researched natural grass characteristics and have set parameters for newly developed third generation artificial turf to mimic.

“I think it’s more of the quality of turf and how long it has been there for versus whether it’s turf or grass,” Keane said.

The artificial turf at Eckerd is a newly designed third generation turf made with recycled rubber infill and is the only field of its kind in the Sunshine State Conference.

Artificial turf is considered uncommon in Florida because of the state’s ideal climate for natural grass surfaces.

“Before Eckerd got the turf changed in June, we had a lot more injuries due to the compression of the turf over ten years,” Keane said. “We’ve had a decrease in overuse injuries this year and have seen a decrease in significant knee injuries as well.”

This is largely in part to a new training schedule made by Head Coach Danielle Fotopoulos that keeps the women’s team off the turf during regular season practices. Instead, the team practices on the natural grass field adjacent to the artificial turf.

“You have to balance the amount of training on the turf because of

the hardness of the turf,” Fotopoulos said. “Your body takes a bit more of a beating than on grass.”

The lawsuit against FIFA is at a standstill and the World Cup is set to be played on third generation artificial turf in Canada. As for the artificial turf at Eckerd, the third generation turf is intended to be a more grass-like surface with more give than the previous turf. With technological improvements in the future, artificial turf will develop further, mimicking natural grass surfaces.

“Playing on grass is what players are used to,” Fotopoulos said. “Right now, playing on turf simply changes the game.”

photo by Cyrpress Hansen Junior Rory Smart strikes the ball on the artificial turf at Turley Field.

Spring semester marks midway point of basketball conference play

By Meaghan Kirby Staff Writer

photo by Lia Nydes Junior E.J. Moody rises up for a shot in the paint.

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The men’s and women’s basketball teams each fought their ways through the midway point of their conference match-ups in January.

The men’s squad ended at 3-5 while the women’s team finished with a record of 5-3 through Winter Term.

The men’s team started the month off strong against conference rival Nova Southeastern University, grabbing a last minute win, 73-70.

The Triton offense was on fire in the first half, hitting nine three pointers.

Sophomore Guard Kevin Walsh hit four of the nine three pointers in the first 20 minutes of the game.

Nova would go on a 12-2 run against the Tritons bringing them within five as the clock winded down, but Senior Malcolm Brunner Jr. came up big, securing three rebounds in the last minute of the game, ensuring the Tritons a 73-70 victory.

The women’s team had a slower start than the men, falling short against No. 14 Nova in a close match-up.

Senior Rana Thomas sparked the team at the start, scoring four points in the first five minutes.

The rest of the half was a battle between each team, with the lead

passing back and forth. But in the final minute of the first half the Sharks scored five unanswered points giving them a five point lead heading into the locker room.

Thomas hit a big three pointer to rally her team, but the Tritons would fall short and be defeated by the Sharks, 77-71.

The next team to visit the McArthur Center was our rival across the bridge, the University of Tampa.

Midway through the first half, the Spartans held a 10 point lead over Eckerd’s men’s team. After receiving a pass from Ingram, Walsh hit a three pointer narrowing Tampa’s lead. The Tritons ended the half trailing 35-32.

Despite a hard fought run led by Junior Jerrick Stevenson in the second half, Tampa help onto the lead. The Tritons came up short in the final seconds losing to the Spartans, 73-71.

Stevenson led the team with a season high of 24 points.

The women’s basketball team upset nationally ranked University of Tampa, 55-44.

Senior Kayla Bowlin gave Eckerd an eight point lead after capitalizing from the line. Thomas furthered the Triton lead to 17 after hitting an open jumper late in the half. Eckerd dominated on both ends of the floor, lead-

ing the Spartans 32-10 at the half.

Tampa edged its way closer to Eckerd, but the Tritons were able to hold the lead throughout the second half, winning 55-44.

As a team, Eckerd scored 15 of 18 free throws.

Both Triton teams were able to get upset wins with their next matchup at the McArthur Center against Rollins University. The men’s victory came in an overtime win against the Tars, 64-62.

The first half was a low scoring game for both teams. Eckerd’s first points from the field came from Walsh as he drained his first of three consecutive three pointers.

The Tars outscored Eckerd 8-2 to close the half, giving them a 25-23 lead heading into the locker rooms.

Moody fired quick to tie the game at 25-25, from which point both teams struggled to hold on to a lead. Stevenson hit a jumper to give the Tritons a two point lead with seconds left, but the Tars were able to reach the line and tie the game up at 55-55 to force an overtime.

Brunner was able to start some momentum with a massive dunk to spark his team. The Triton defense was then able to get the ball back from the Tars on a shot clock violation.

See BASKETBALL, page 16

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the current

Feb. 6, 2015

Sports SCORE BOARD

UPCOMING

SPORTS

Women’s Basketball

Feb. 6

SOFTBALL

2:30 p.m. vs. Chadron State University 4:30 p.m. vs. Young Harris College

Jan. 31 vs. Florida Institute of Technology L 65-72

Feb. 7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Jan. 28 @ Palm Beach Atlantic W 70-59

2 p.m. vs. Lynn University

MEN’S BASKETBALL 4 p.m. vs. Lynn University (Alumni Game)

Jan. 24 vs. Barry University L 44-53

SOFTBALL

Jan. 21 @ Saint Leo University W, 52-45

4 p.m. vs. Lindenwood University @Clearwater

Jan. 17 @ vs. Rollins College W 75-63

BASEBALL

12 p.m. and 3 p.m. vs.

Warner University (Fla.) @Clearwater

Jan. 14 @ Florida Southern College W 69-58

Feb. 8

Jan. 10 @ Lynn University W 86-64

Softball

9 a.m. vs. Lynn University @Clearwater

Jan. 7 vs. University of Tampa W 55-44

11:30 a.m. vs. Shorter University @Clearwater

MEN’S GOLF

All day @ Matlock Collegiate Classic (Lone Palm CC)

Feb. 9

MEN’S GOLF

All day @ Matlock Collegiate Classic (Lone Palm CC)

Feb. 10

MEN’S GOLF

All day @ Matlock Collegiate Classic (Lone Palm CC)

Feb. 11

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

5:30 p.m. @University of Tampa

MEN’S BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. @ University of Tampa

Feb. 12

SOFTBALL

5 p.m. and 7 p.m. vs.

Colorado Christian University

From BASKETBALL, page 15 After a game winning jumper from Stevenson, Rollins could not get a shot up in time and Eckerd came away with the victory in extra time.

The women’s team slated their second upset on a top 25 team this season as they defeated No. 10 Rollins College, 75-63.

The scoring presence was spread out in the first half, with Thomas, Grbic and Junior Margaret Sundberg all contributing three pointers. The Tritons left the first half holding a 39-34 lead.

The consistency continued to flow in the second half as the Tritons pulled away to another upset victory.

Thomas hit a new career high hitting 29 points.

Kasemagi set a new career high double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Both Triton teams came up short on the final home game of the Winter Term stretch.

In another overtime thriller, the men’s team fell to No. 4 Barry University, 111-108.

Walsh sparked the early Eckerd lead with a three to go up 14-12. Stevenson hit a three from the corner pocket and Ingram made three shots

in a row from beyond the arch giving the men’s squad a 31-23 lead.

The Tritons were able to hold the lead, ending the first half up 38-34.

The Tritons tried to keep the momentum going, but the Bucs came fighting back in the second half, going on a 19-3 scoring streak against Eckerd. A battle from each team led to 88-88 score at the end of regulation.

Both teams tallied nine points in the first overtime, pushing a double overtime at the McArthur Center.

Eckerd trailed with seconds remaining and was unable to get another shot, falling to Barry, 111-108.

“I was very proud of how our team battled every minute of every game this past month. I am hoping we are able to use that momentum and keep moving forward game by game,” Head Coach Tom Ryan said.

Stevenson had a team-high 23 points and five rebounds. Freshman Trevon Young ended the night with an impressive double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.

“I am hoping the combination of us getting healthy and the experience some of our younger players got during this month will make us stronger down the stretch,” Ryan said.

Brunner agreed with his coach.

“As a team we found out a lot of what we were capable of doing,” Brunner said. “It was nice to see our young guys come through and help out the

team when it was crunch time. Now we just need to work on on executing in those clutch moments for the rest of the season.”

The women’s squad faced their second home loss of the season to Barry University, 53-44.

Kasemagi worked down low to give Eckerd the early lead, but the Bucs came back to grab a 21-18 lead. Bowlin then led an 11-2 run giving the Tritons the lead at halftime.

Barry struggled to regain the lead, but was able to do so midway through the second half. Barry held Eckerd’s offense scoreless in the final four minutes until Thomas hit a jumper. The tenacious Buccaneer defense late in the game forced a loss to the Tritons as they fell 44-53.

“I feel like we’re playing with a lot of confidence and we are looking forward to the rest of our match ups in Sunshine State Conference,” Head Coach Paul Honsinger said.

The Tritons step back on the court at McArthur Center facing Lynn University on February 7.

Men’s Basketball Jan. 31 vs Florida Institute of Technology W 60-57 Jan. 28 @ Palm Beach Atlantic University W 59-48 Jan. 24 vs. Barry University L 108-111 Jan. 21 @ Saint Leo University L 64-69 Jan. 17 vs. Rollins College W 64-62 Jan. 14 @ Florida Southern College L 62-80 Jan. 10 @ Lynn University W 86-64 Jan. 7 vs. University of Tampa L 71-73

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