The Current Volume 25 Issue 11

7KH 2IÀFLDO 6WXGHQW 1HZVSDSHU RI (FNHUG &ROOHJH

Vol. XXVIIII

April 15, 2011

St. Petersburg, Florida

Issue 11

Educat ion Issu e photo by Caldwell Buntin

Garden Club

Recreational learning opportunity

News & Features — Page 5

Chinese education Misconceptions revealed

Viewpoints — Page 10

Sex education Get yourself tested

Entertainment — Page 18

news & features

Club budgets 101 Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Petra Stevenson News Editor Laurel Ormiston currentnews@eckerd.edu Asst. News Editor Ashley Daniels Entertainment Editor Jeralyn Darling currententertainment@eckerd.edu Asst. Entertainment Editor Shelby Howell Asst. Quickie Editor Cait Duffy Asst. Quickie Editor Carver Lee Viewpoints Editor Jaclyn New currentviews@eckerd.edu Asst. viewpoints Editor Liz Tomaselli Sports Editor Will Creager currentsports@eckerd.edu Asst. Sports Editor Lincoln Andres-Beck Web Editor Max Martinez Web Master Shawn Craine Faculty Adviser Tracy Crow Director of Advertising Abby Gestl currentads@eckerd.edu Director of Finances Beth Robison

Staff Writers Johnny Jones Sarah Malhotra Sean Lawlor Malena Carollo Seth Ravid Ethan Packey

Photographers & Illustrators Ashli Fiorini Caldwell Buntin Cassie Ochoa

Contributing Writers Josh Annarelli Katie Honan

• April 15, 2011 • • Vol. XXVIIII Iss. 11 • 2

Friday, April 15, 2011

BY JOHNNY JONES Staff Writer Budget allocation is knocking on the door! And if you are a club head, this concerns you.

Starting April 18, the ECOS Financial Affairs Committee will begin its annual budget proposal reviews. Club heads must sign up outside the (&26 RI¿FH GRRU IRU D WLPH to defend their budgets for WKH QH[W ¿VFDO \HDU According to Vice President of Financial Affairs and Presidentelect of ECOS Stephen Barber, budget allocation is determined by need and merit (which he also called ³¿VFDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\´ ,I WKH FOXE KDV SUHYLRXV ¿QDQFLDO

records from the past three years, they are considered during reapplication. ³,I D FOXE XVHV WKHLU HQWLUH budget, comes close, and doesn’t go over, that looks really good,� Barber said. ³$QG LI D FOXE GRHVQœW VSHQG anything and they are asking IRU D VLJQL¿FDQW LQFUHDVH that’s a question mark.�

The all-student committee is comprised of three ECOS VHQDWRUV DQG VHYHQ ÂłVWXGHQWV at-large.â&#x20AC;? Any member of the Eckerd College student body can apply for these positions LI WKH\ EHFRPH YDFDQW Âł<HV we look to Fred [Sabota] and Lova [Patterson] for advice, but during the committee meetings, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all studentrun,â&#x20AC;? Barber said.

Congress budget deal means compromise still alive

BY SEAN LAWLOR Staff Writer Literally avoiding a government shut down by an hour on April 8, House Republicans, Senate Democrats and President Obama were able to craft a compromise to allow the government to remain open for another week. They will use the time to sort out the details of the proposed agreement.

The proposed budget would eliminate $38 billion from the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original budget for 2011, far less than the Republican-backed $61.3 ELOOLRQ ÂżJXUH :KDW KLQGHUHG budget negotiations were policy riders added to the legislation, widely supported by GOP Congressional Freshman. However, these riders were contested by Democratic leaders who accused Republicans of passing unnecessary political initiatives that would barely curtail the current budget GHÂżFLW The riders included eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood and NPR. Ultimately the Republican leadership was forced to drop these measures, which has left their base disheartened.

But Democrats arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happy either. Big cuts in spending means huge losses for social programs and progressive initiatives that Liberals endorse. Democrats were forced to concede to a standalone vote on funding for Planned Parenthood and a ban on funds from tax revenues for abortion and family planning in the District of Colombia. Funds were also banned toward prisoner transfers from Guantanamo Bay; however, Congress had already prohibited such transfers last year.

Healthcare reform was also forsaken. According to WKH :DOO 6WUHHW -RXUQDO ÂłWKH agreement would eliminate a provision of the healthcare law enabling lowincome workers to opt out of employer-offered health insurance and shop for more affordable coverage on insurance exchanges to be created in 2014.â&#x20AC;?

If the budget debacle wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough, Congress is expected to vote on raising the debt ceilingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; how much the federal government can borrowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; in May. This is expected to be yet another hurdle in this ongoing budget debate.

Online Now: o Take Back the Night kicks off with Breasts and Bagels

www.theonlinecurrent.com

news & features Introducing

Stephen Barber Next ECOS president talks hopes and goals

BY JERALYN DARLING Entertainment Editor

I

n a long-sleeved white button down and jeans, Stephen Barber is dressed to impress. His modesty is incomparable and his willingness to help unmatched.

But what really makes Barber stand out in a crowd is his drive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his ability to reach for the stars and not stop until he gets there. :KDW FDQ %DUEHU EULQJ WR WKH WDEOH" Âł'ULYH DQG GHWHUPLQDWLRQ ´ KH VD\V ZLWKRXW KHVLWDWLRQ Âł,I \RX VWDUW D SURMHFW \RX NQRZ \RXÂśUH JRLQJ WR ÂżQLVK LW >7KH (&26 presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position] was an opportunity I saw myself being able to do successfully.â&#x20AC;?

A Marine Biology and International Business double major, next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ECOS president has high hopes and the will to achieve his goals. Among these goals he lists re-launching the discount card program, rebuilding relationships with onFDPSXV PHGLD DQG ÂłUHGXFLQJ WKH RSDFLW\ RI (&26 ´ %DUEHU VD\V Âł(&26 KDV KDG D YHLO RI , GRQÂśW ZDQW WR VD\ HOLWLVW EXW that comes to mind.â&#x20AC;?

2Q WKH ³RSDFLW\´ LVVXH KH QRWHG WKDW (&26 KDV QRW EHHQ completely transparent with budgeting or even the minutes of

ECOS President Elect Stephen Barber stands outside of the ECOS office in Brown Hall.

meetings and his goal is to make all of that readily available WR VWXGHQWV +H DOVR LQFOXGHG ³UHYDPSLQJ WKH ZHEVLWH´ E\ making it more user friendly and open and updating more often.

The discount card program will help students on a budget as well as provide advertisement for community businesses.

Barber said that a strong relationship with media outlets on campus, like the radio station and The Current, is fundamental. :KHQ DVNHG LI KH ZHUH QHUYRXV DERXW WKH WDVN DKHDG %DUEHU IUDQNO\ UHSOLHG Âł<HV :LWK DQ\ SRVLWLRQ WKHUHÂśV DOZD\V going to be some nervousness because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something new.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a different step, a new responsibility and I think with that comes a sort of ambiguity, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really know what to expect.â&#x20AC;? He is, however, relieved that everyone around him is

photo by Jeralyn Darling

so helpful and will guide him into and teach him about this new role.

For now, when Barber is not focusing on managing a $506,000 budget as the vice president of Financial Affairs on the Executive Council, he enjoys running with the running FOXE RU E\ KLPVHOI RU JRLQJ WR WKH J\P Âł,WÂśV MXVW VRPHWKLQJ different, something that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to focus on work,â&#x20AC;? %DUEHU VD\V RI UXQQLQJ Âł<HV LWÂśV D GH VWUHVVRU EXW LWÂśV PRUH for the change in my normal day activities. Going to the gym or going for a run is something new.â&#x20AC;? He also enjoys Frisbee, and is a captain of the club. Âł,W ZRXOG VHHP VLOO\ WR VWD\ ZKHUH , DP ´ KH VD\V H[SODLQLQJ ZK\ KH UDQ IRU SUHVLGHQW Âł, ZDQWHG WR WDNH RQ D QHZ challenge.â&#x20AC;?

McMullen, Aldridge win ECOS run-off elections

BY MAX MARTINEZ Web Editor Kappa senator Donald McMullen defeated Alpha senator Rhemy Brezin to become the next Executive Vice President of ECOS. In the race for VP of Financial Affairs, Dan Aldridge came out on top over Zeta senator Derek Kelly. McMullen and Aldridge join President-elect 6WHSKHQ %DUEHU DQG -DPHV %UDQFK WKH QH[W 93 RI $FDGHPLF $IIDLUV RQ WKH (&26 Executive Council.

After the initial round of voting ended prior to spring break, two Executive Council positions remained undecided. ECOS rules require candidates to receive 50 percent of

WKH YRWH WR ZLQ D SRVLWLRQ RXWULJKW :LWK WKUHH FDQGLGDWHV UXQQLQJ IRU HDFK VSRW QRERG\ UHFHLYHG WKH UHTXLUHG PDMRULW\ LQ WKH ÂżUVW URXQG RI YRWLQJ UHVXOWLQJ LQ WKLV ZHHNÂśV UXQ RII election. The two remaining candidates in each race were given two days to campaign after UHWXUQLQJ IURP VSULQJ EUHDN 9RWLQJ RSHQHG RQ WKH PRUQLQJ RI :HGQHVGD\ $SULO DQG UDQ until 5 p.m. Friday, April 8. :LWK WRGD\ÂśV UHVXOWV DOO IRXU HOHFWHG VWXGHQW JRYHUPHQW SRVLWLRQV ZLOO EH KHOG E\ PHQ IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH VLQFH 7KDW \HDU $QJHOD 'H5RVH ZDV WKH ORQH IHPDOH (&26 RIÂżFHU serving as the Director of Communications. That position is now appointed by the ECOS president.

Friday, April 15, 2011

3

news & features

Campus Safety clarifies room search policy

BY ASHLEY DANIELS Asst. News Editor All due respect is given to the privacy that residents enjoy in their rooms. Occasionally, circumstances present themselves which necessitate authorized College personnel to enter student rooms for the purpose of health and safety inspections, repair and maintenance, assessment of damages, inventory of College property, determination of compliance with College policies, state or federal laws, or emergencies where imminent danger to life, safety, health or property is reasonably suspected.

This is a statement taken straight from the Eckerd College Student Handbook. Each student is expected to own a copy and be knowledgeable of the various college policy and procedures that it covers. But how many students actually UHDG WKH KDQGERRN OHW DORQH RZQ RQH" , GLGQÂśW Back from winter break, complaints swirled around campus about items taken from rooms by Campus Safety during break. For me, it was an extension cord, a violation under Eckerdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy.

To get some answers about the procedures Campus Safety follows while conducting a room search I went to Adam Colby, director of Campus Safety.

First off, Campus Safety is a non-sworn agency, meaning &DPSXV 6DIHW\ RIÂżFHUV GR QRW KDYH DUUHVW SRZHU ZKLFK JLYHV (FNHUG PRUH Ă&#x20AC;H[LELOLW\ 7DNH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 7DPSD RU

8QLYHUVLW\ RI 6RXWK )ORULGD IRU H[DPSOH 7KHLU RIÂżFHUV DUH room, if there is a sick or injured person or if a neglected or sworn so they have to uphold every law of the state. Eckerdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abandoned pet is in the room.

A full search can only be conducted by authority of a dean limits of authority are established by the trustees and have to who has authorized the search in writing. Usually, these types ÂżW ZLWKLQ WKH PLVVLRQ RI WKH FROOHJH Did you know that if you are a residential student living of searches are done when it involves the safety of the rest of in campus housing you signed the housing agreement giving the campus such as for a perceived weapon, drug deal or hard drugs in a room. But this type of search is not done with St. &DPSXV 6DIHW\ SHUPLVVLRQ WR HQWHU \RXU URRP" , GLGQÂśW Oftentimes, Campus Safety will get an anonymous phone Petersburg Police knowledge.

Colby stated that if there is call tip, statiQJ D VSHFLÂżF URRP LV LQ evidence that would require violation, or there is a noise complaint, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to be able to Campus Safety, through policies RU &DPSXV 6DIHW\ RIÂżFHUV FDQ YLVLEO\ VHH students walking in and out of rooms pinpoint that room to say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;this is and procedures, to contact St. ZLWK DOFRKRO :KHQ WKLV KDSSHQV WKH the room we think the violation Petersburg Police, they will. Colby H[SODLQHG WKDW 633' LV QRWLÂżHG LI &DPSXV 6DIHW\ RIÂżFHU FDQ GR D SODLQ is coming from.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? a room involves felony evidence. view search because that is all he or she â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Adam Colby, director of It is then up to SPPD to make an LV DOORZHG WR GR Âł:H GRQÂśW ZDQW WR MXVW Campus Safety arrest. Campus Safety cannot ask HQWHU URRPV ´ VDLG &ROE\ Âł:H KDYH WR EH for a student to be arrested but able to pinpoint that room to say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;this is can provide all of the information and evidence they have the room we think the violation is coming from.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

One of the internal guidelines Campus Safety follows is gathered.

During both of these searches, Campus Safety can and will that if they cannot identify the room, they will not enter the room. According to Colby, their goal is to identify the source. remove any items in which students are not allowed to have And if no perceived violation is found via a plain view search, in their rooms, like my extension cord.

Typically, after a search is conducted, an incident report is they do not move onto another room. )RU FODUL¿FDWLRQ D SODLQ YLHZ VHDUFK LV FRQGXFWHG E\ completed. In most cases, Colby stated, the incident report CaPSXV 6DIHW\ RI¿FHUV IRU VXVSHFWHG YLRODWLRQ RI FROOHJH MXVW VD\V ³WKHUH DUH QR YLRODWLRQV RI FROOHJH SROLF\ IRXQG ´ and/or state or federal policy, if there is a serious threat to 7KH LQFLGHQW UHSRUW LV WKH QRWL¿FDWLRQ WKDW &DPSXV 6DIHW\ persons within the residence hall, if there is possible stolen VHDUFKHG WKH URRP +RZHYHU LI VRPHWKLQJ LV IRXQG WKH 2I¿FH property in the room, if possible illegal substances are in the of Community Standards will take over the case.

CPS event coverage: 101 ways to study smarter

BY SARAH MALHOTRA Staff Writer Gary Tuerack recently to shared his scholarly advice on how to achieve the best grades possible. He promised to help students get at least a 3.7 GPA in less time.

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what he had to say: Set your sights high. If you set your sights a lot higher than what you believe you are capable of, you will automatically work harder. This maximizes motivation, which maximizes potential.

photo by Caldwell Buntin Students take notes on the material a professor writes on the board.

4

Friday, April 15, 2011

Studying. Push yourself to read faster by allowing your hand to guide your eyes across a page. Soon you will read faster automatically. Ask yourself questions as you UHDG XVH KHDGLQJV DV D JXLGH 7DNH QRWHV 0DNH Ă&#x20AC;DVKFDUGV *R WR WKH OLEUDU\ 7DNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKH :ULWLQJ &HQWHU Retention. Humans forget 50 percent of what they learn in an hour, and 80 percent in three days. But using visuals can help. Visuals increase retention by 40 percent. So take notes, even if you never use them to study.

The more you review your notes, the better. $QG JRLQJ RYHU \RXU QRWHV ZLWKLQ ÂżYH KRXUV increases memory. Cover your notes and see if you can recall things correctly.

Snacking. :KLOH VXJDU\ IRRGV PLJKW JLYH you a boost for a few hours, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll eventually crash. Some foods that help increase focus while studying include fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables. These foods release energy and nutrients in the body. Eating a large meal before a study session might not be the best idea, because blood travels to the stomach, decreasing concentration. It is better to have a lighter meal. This will also keep you from getting sleepy. Additionally, protein is brain food. Drinking water is better for the mind than Coke or other sugary caffeinated beverages.

Music and TV. Noise pollution only PDNHV VWXG\LQJ KDUGHU <RXU PLQG KDV WR work harder to subconsciously block it out while you try to focus. If you have to listen to music, choose songs without words so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about singing along.

Breaks. Stay alert by planning breaks.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t accept mind wandering â&#x20AC;&#x201C; catch yourself.

Take breaks between learning different topics. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take in more information during study breaks by reading or watching TV. This knowledge interference will make it harder to get back on track later. Instead, take a 20minute power nap or go for a walk.

Study Time. The best times to memorize are in the morning and at night. In the morning, nothing is in your head. Carry your Ă&#x20AC;DVKFDUGV ZKHUHYHU \RX JR LQ FDVH \RX KDYH ÂżYH PLQXWHV WR ORRN DW WKHP Sleep. Everyone knows itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to get a good nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleep the night before an exam. Actually, your body needs eight hours of sleep every night. Consistency is essential.

Try not to pull an all-nighter, but if you have to, sleep in three-hour segments.

Do what you can today, not tomorrow. And above all, DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T CRAM!

news & features

E

Depending on the season, the garden is home to flowers as well as produce.

photo by Laurel Ormiston

verything is coming up

rose-colored

Senior Joanisa Tenreiro wheels compost.

photo by Cassie Ochoa

Garden Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to increase environmental sustainability may not only help the earth, but your grades and well-being

photo by Cassie Ochoa Garden Club President Leonora Stefanile teaches how to dig trenches during a work day.

BY LAUREL ORMISTON News Editor

A

little more than a year ago, the Garden Club planted its inaugural crop in the 2,000 square foot planting area behind the Turley Athletic Complex. In the year since, the Garden Club has worked alongside professors, students and the staff of Bon Appetit to create an outdoor learning environment about gardening and sustainability.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place where students can just plain get dirty and have fun.

Like the garden itself, the club is growing photo by Cassie Ochoa and expanding, with plans underway to Garden Club members mix fertilizer-free com- make the garden a permanent and symbiotic post made from recycled Eckerd College materipart of campus. The club is unique among als such as food and shredded paper. those here in its diversity. The garden has ties across many different academic and

extracurricular groups. A resource not only for environmental studies classes (such as those taught by Faculty Liason Kent Curtis, DVVLVWDQW SURIHVVRU RI HQYLURQPHQWDO VWXGLHV

the garden is also used by sociology and business classes. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just academic involvement.

Outside of class, says Garden Club President /HRQRUD 6WHIDQLOH Âł,WÂśV WKHUDSHXWLF WR JHW away from the environment of academic and the dorms.â&#x20AC;? She reports that students of all class ranks participate. To date, there are about 30 members, the majority of whom are juniors and seniors.

-DPH\ +DQGRUI VWDII DGYLVRU RI WKH *DUGHQ Club and assistant director of Resident Life, says that the students involved in garden FOXE ³KDYH EHHQ LQFUHGLEO\ PRWLYDWHG´ RYHU the past year. Recent projects with the club include the installation of a rainwater

collection system.

Handorf brings to the club three years of commercial gardening experience in Ohio, an out of state perspective necessary to helping students understand the contrast between soils from their home states and Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique sandy composition.

Handorf said in a February lecture during )DPLO\ :HHNHQG WKDW *DUGHQ &OXE LV D SODFH WR ³WHDFK VWXGHQWV ZKHUH WKH IRRG LV JURZQ KRZ WR GR LW WKHPVHOYHV ´ FDOOLQJ WKH ¿UVW year a learning experience.

Stefanile estimates about half of the current members had no gardening experience prior to working in the school garden, and says she herself had only

See Garden on PAGE 7 Friday, April 15, 2011

5

news & features GARDEN continued from Page 5 minimal experience prior to coming to Eckerd.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no experience required to become a part of the club, says Leonora, just â&#x20AC;&#x153;a desire to get your hands dirty.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had never gardened before working here,â&#x20AC;? says Junior Nico Romo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was interested to see the process, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nice way to get outside.â&#x20AC;?

Further student support is encouraged.

Stefanile suggests students visit the garden once a week. If you join the club, shifts for club members are for an hour and a half.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about the time it takes to procrastinate from writing that paper due Monday. So why not be productive about procrastinating? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you spend time in the garden youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get more work done,â&#x20AC;? predicts Stefanile. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a good resume builder. Or, just an unusual attentiongrabber.

But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all the garden can do for you resume-wise: it may even improve your grades, according to the garden club president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My grades have improved drastically since having the garden to go to,â&#x20AC;? says Stefanile. The science supports her claim: all that time in the sun ensures you get Vitamin D, which is an important nutrient to ward off depression and anxiety. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gives me more energy in the course of the day,â&#x20AC;? adds Stefanile. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple, repetitive, WDFWLOH ZRUN , ÂżQG LW YHU\ IXOÂżOOLQJ ´ For those looking to spend an afternoon in the sun with the assurance of no chemicals on the grass or even reclaimed waterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the garden is the spot to be. The club has ties to many aspects of the campus, allowing it to have an ongoing agreement with campus grounds crew that they leave the space behind the tennis courts alone. No fertilizer. No reclaimed water.

Just compost.

The compost is created with attention to purity. No grass clippings are used because Eckerd uses fertilizer on some grass patches and the clippings would contaminate the otherwise organic pile. Other elements from WKH FRPPXQLW\ WKDW ÂżQG WKHLU ZD\ WR WKH GLUW mountain are food scraps from the cafeteria, coffee grounds and shredded paper from DGPLQLVWUDWLYH RIÂżFHV 7KH FRPSRVW LV WXUQHG by pitchfork, maintained by the diligent student members. %XW WXUQLQJ WKH WUDVK KDV LWV EHQHÂżWV /LNH the story of The Little Red Hen, who decides to eat what she herself has made, the garden club students are able to grab a bite to eat from the garden whenever they like. Literally.

Just pull up the vegetable of your choice, and munch away. (To demonstrate, Handorf pulled up a small carrot during the presentation in February.)

Stefanile points out this symbiotic relationship students have with the garden (and the earth) makes the club unique in sustainability terms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most other types of recreation involve consuming. Here, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also producing when we consume.â&#x20AC;? She dubs it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Productive recreation.â&#x20AC;?

6

Friday, April 15, 2011

outdoors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The original plan [for the garden] was so much bigger, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want that to get lost, says Freshman Noah Schlager of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans for the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it get stuck in a small stage.â&#x20AC;?

Schlager has been training his green thumb in the garden after having been taught small scale gardening by his grandmother. Âł,ÂśG VD\ WKH PRVW GLIÂżFXOW WKLQJ is securing enough money to do everything that we want to do,â&#x20AC;? agrees Stefanile.

Future large-scale plans for the garden include aquaculture in the fall. In addition, Stefanile says sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see the garden donate more to Eckerd College Homeless Outreach and other campus organizations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would like to work with the campus collation for justice (CCJ) more this semester,â&#x20AC;? says Stefanile. Ideas include plant beds for housekeepers. Âł,Q WKH JDUGHQ LV ZKHUH , ÂżQG the most hope. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re developing a lifestyle thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more natural and less dependent. Everyone needs to eatâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and if you can do it in a way thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not supporting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and corporations, then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real solution for a lot of environmental problems we face today,â&#x20AC;? says Stefanile.

The presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in the garden stems from both an interest in sustainability and a love of nature. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an interdisciplinary arts major but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been very photo by Laurel Ormiston environmentally themed in An inspirational sign hangs in the artistically decorated EC my art,â&#x20AC;? says Stefanile. In garden. fact, Stefanileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in Other vegetables growing in the garden this ÂżOP DQG QDWXUH SKRWRJUDSK\ month include peas, beans, kale, dill, romaine have combined into her senior project, a lettuce, potatoes, cucumbers, spinach, citrus GRFXPHQWDU\ ÂżOP DERXW WKH (& JDUGHQ DQG trees and a lone pineapple tree. The trees were HQYLURQPHQWDO LVVXHV 7KH ÂżOP Âł6SURXWV $ gifted to the garden by General Manager of Bon Documentaryâ&#x20AC;? will premiere within the next Appetite Jamie Llovera. two months. Check the Eckerd College Arts +DQGRUI LGHQWLÂżHG WKH JDUGHQÂśV EHVW FURSV website for updates. as cucumbers and spinach, two items which Keep an eye too, in late April and May, for ZH ÂżQG IUHTXHQWO\ LQ WKH FDIHWHULD ,Q WLPH WKH a chance to visit the garden and get creative: JDUGHQÂśV KDUYHVW PD\ MXVW ÂżQG LWV ZD\ WR RXU Stefanile says an art day is planned, as well as plates. Administrative approval pending, of a harvest festival. Plans include a live band, course. potluck dinner and seed swap. The festival â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gaining support from the administration may, says Stefanile, even be open to the public has been really fun to see,â&#x20AC;? says Romo. Past so that more local garden enthusiasts can attempts at sustainable gardening had failed participate. from a lack of student involvement. This time, long terms plans have already been laid. These To find the club, just stop by the garden: include the fruit trees from Llovera, which the Monday and Tuesday: 4:30-6 p.m. club hopes will one day become an orchard Thursday and Friday: 4:30-6 p.m. space for students to relax and enjoy the Saturday: 1-3:30 p.m.

EC briefs Relay for Life April 29 Eckerd students are working hard to plan this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eckerd College Relay for Life in support of the American Cancer Society.

6WRS E\ WKH DWKOHWLF ÂżHOG $SULO from 6 p.m. onward for dancing, karaoke, performances by Another Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trash and the chance to â&#x20AC;&#x153;pie your professorâ&#x20AC;? by throwing a whipped cream pie at their face.

Peace Corps ranks EC 19th (FNHUG UDQNV WK RQ WKH 3HDFH Corps Southeast Region Top Schools list. The ranking places (FNHUG LQ WKH WRS WZHQW\ ÂżYH colleges and universities producing Peace Corps volunteers. Since the 3HDFH &RUSVÂś LQFHSWLRQ LQ DOXPQL KDYH VHUYHG LQ WKH Peace Corps, with ten currently overseas.

S/ART/Q in Cobb Gallery The exhibition, which features the work of local Sarasota artists, was curated, researched and installed by the Museum Lab class taught by Marshall Rousseau, former director of the Salvador Dali Museum. There will be a *DOOHU\ 7DON $SULO S P Elliott Gallery art April 17-22 The Visual and Interdisciplinary Arts thesis exhibitions continue with the painted artwork of Senior Cody Spruce and the photojournalism of Senior James Clappier.

Junior named Udall Scholar The Udall Foundation has named Junior Andrea Willingham D 8GDOO 6FKRODU :LOOLQJKDP will participate in a week-long conference in Tucson, Ariz., LQ $XJXVW WR UHFHLYH D award and meet policymakers and community leaders in HQYLURQPHQWDO ÂżHOGV WULEDO KHDOWK care and governance.

Recipients are selected on the basis of their commitment to careers in the environment, health care or tribal public policy; leadership potential and academic achievement. Willingham is the ÂżUVW (FNHUG VWXGHQW WR ZLQ D Udall Scholarship since Eckerd DOXP 0DUN 0XHOOHU ZRQ LQ .

news & features

The impurity of powder A pharmaceutically-active chemical has worked its way into Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cocaine supply, begging the question: Would you snort a cattle de-worming drug?

By Max Martinez Web Editor

patients contained levamisole, a livestock deZRUPLQJ GUXJ %\ 1RY ÂżYH SDWLHQWV all cocaine users, were diagnosed with and ick James put it best: Cocaine is one treated for agranulocytosis at the hospital. Dr. =KX SXEOLVKHG KHU ÂżQGLQJV LQ WKH $QQDOV RI hell of a drug.

On top of dangerous short and long-term ,QWHUQDO 0HGLFLQH LQ )HE )RU WKH ÂżUVW health effects, users have to be conscious of time, the message to the public was clear: the the fact that, chances are, their cocaine is cocaine supply was being contaminated with not pure. Adulterants, substances added to a new pharmaceutically active chemical and EXON XS VXSSO\ UDQJH IURP VXJDU DQG Ă&#x20AC;RXU WR the side effects could be life threatening.

The Drug Enforcement Administration baking soda and baby laxatives. All are inert substances, relatively harmless compared to DOUHDG\ NQHZ WKLV ,Q VDPSOHV RI seized cocaine tested positive for levamisole. cocaine.

Now a new adulterant, a livestock de- 7KRXJK LW UHSUHVHQWHG RQO\ SHUFHQW RI WKH worming agent called levamisole, is popping total number of samples seized that year, up in cocaine samples from Colombia to such a cutting agent had not been previously Canada and everywhere in between. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seen. This was something new.

2YHU WKH QH[W ÂżYH \HDUV FRQWDPLQDWLRQ more, levamisole is not inert like previous cuts. Levamisole can cause agranulocytosis, VN\URFNHWHG SHUFHQW RI DOO FRFDLQH VDPSOHV a life-threatening crash in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune VHL]HG LQ FRQWDLQHG OHYDPLVROH system that is already responsible for one SHUFHQW LQ VDZ WKH ODUJHVW VSLNH fatality, and may be the cause of death in nearly tripling to 44.1 percent. According to dozens of other cases. But where did it come WKH ODWHVW ÂżJXUHV VWLOO IURP SHUFHQW of cocaine seized by the DEA tested positive from, and why is it being added to cocaine? for levamisole.

Herein lies the strangest part of the mystery. Typically, dealers close to street$ ODE LQ 1HZ 0H[LFR ÂżUVW PDGH level cut adulterants into the cocaine theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the connection between cocaine and selling in an attempt to bulk up their supply.

DJUDQXORF\WRVLV LQ $SULO OLQNLQJ Because of the constant threat of arrest, those unexplainable cases of the condition to the LQYROYHG LQ WUDIÂżFNLQJ FRFDLQH WU\ WR PRYH only pure cocaine; there is no point going to patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cocaine use. $ IHZ PRQWKV ODWHU URXJKO\ IHGHUDO SULVRQ IRU ÂżYH \HDUV IRU WUDIÂżFNLQJ D miles north, two patients were separately NLOR KDOI ÂżOOHG ZLWK EDNLQJ VRGD But your admitted to a hospital f r i e n d l y in Edmonton, Canada, neighborhood ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;X OLNH V\PSWRPV ...the very same people cocaine dealer Both were cocaine who convert coca paste is not the users, and both had into powder cocaine one cutting agranulocytosis. levamisole into are cutting levamisole Dr. Nancy Zhu, a his product. The fellow at the University into the supply, an source of the of Alberta Hospital, unprecedented practice. contamination treated both patients. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Max Martinez, web editor comes from Stumped by how much farther up two entirely separate individuals came down with a rare blood the supply chain, in the heart of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition at the same time, doctors looked cocaine producing region: South America. to the only link between the patients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We According to the DEA, the very same people were theorizing that maybe it was something who convert coca paste into powder cocaine in the cocaine,â&#x20AC;? Dr. Zhu told Time magazine are cutting levamisole into the supply, representing an unprecedented practice. last year. ,Q )HE FXVWRPV RIÂżFLDOV DW -).

She was right. Urine samples from both

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â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

courtesy of www.thestranger.com Since the DEA first noticed levamisole in cocaine samples in 2005, contamination has increased dramatically.The most recent DEA data shows over 70 percent of cocaine tests positive for levamisole.

DLUSRUW UHFHLYHG FKXUURV ÂżOOHG ZLWK D ZKLWH powder in a package inbound from Guyana. Âł$QDO\VLV RI WKH SRZGHUÂŤFRQÂżUPHG percent cocaine hydrochloride, adulterated with levamisole,â&#x20AC;? said a DEA bulletin. In the same bulletin, the DEA reported agents in BogotĂĄ, Colombia, received a magazine page coated with a substance that turned out to EH SHUFHQW FRFDLQH FXW ZLWK OHYDPLVROH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Intelligence provided to the DEA special agents indicates that this plastic is being used to coat calendars, photos, and similar items, and is also being added into automobile paints.â&#x20AC;?

This accounts for the widespread presence of levamisole, but the motives behind the actions are unclear. Why would South American cartels, who for decades have built a reputation around exporting pure, highquality cocaine, suddenly start tainting their own product?

â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ The answer may be as simple as supply and demand, or as complex as the combined pharmacology of two drugs. It could be a little bit of both. To fully comprehend it, one must have a basic understanding of how levamisole looks and works.

Much like pure cocaine, levamisole is an odorless white powder; most cocaine adulterants are, and for obvious reasons. The chemical properties of levamisole cause it to visually resemble what Brendan Kiley, in his three-part series for Seattleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Stranger, FDOOHG ³³WKH LULGHVFHQW ÂżVK VFDOH VKHHQ of pure cocaine.â&#x20AC;? The difference is nearly unnoticeable.

So, levamisole may be able to pass as cocaine to the naked eye, but those in the drug trade test new shipments to make sure they are purchasing pure product. One common process is â&#x20AC;&#x153;the bleach test,â&#x20AC;? where one drops a small amount of cocaine into Clorox. Pure cocaine dissolves without a trace. Some

common adulterants turn different colors, while others sink to the bottom unabsorbed.

According to tests run by Dr. Mike Clark, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, levamisole dissolves clearly when dropped into Clorox. It also has a melting point well above that of powder cocaine, preventing purity from being tested by heating cocaine on a hotplate; typically, adulterants melt at a lower temperature than cocaine.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all. Levamisole also survives the conversion from powder to crack cocaine. The process of producing crack typically rids the powder of any impurities. Instead, levamisole is converted along with the powder cocaine into crack. Just like adding cuts to powder cocaine to bulk up supply, levamisole allows for the production and sale of more crack without requiring more powder.

Able to pass both naked-eye examinations and common street purity tests, in addition to surviving the conversion process into crack, it becomes clear why adding levamisole EHQHÂżWV &RORPELDQ FDUWHOV 6FLHQWLÂżF UHVHDUFK RIIHUV DQRWKHU WKHRU\ $ study conducted last year suggests levamisole may increase D1 (dopamine) receptor gene expression. By doing so, levamisole would theoretically increase the number of D1 receptors in the brain.

Cocaine acts by binding to dopamine re-uptake transporters, or receptors that â&#x20AC;&#x153;recycleâ&#x20AC;? dopamine back into a neuron. When cocaine binds to these sites, dopamine cannot be re-absorbed by the neuron that released LW Ă&#x20AC;RRGLQJ WKH EUDLQ ZLWK WKH FKHPLFDO DQG producing cocaineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high.

If levamisole really does increase the number of D1 receptors, it would mean the brain is able to absorb more of the dopamine Ă&#x20AC;RRGLQJ WKH EUDLQ SURGXFLQJ D VWURQJHU high.

See Cocaine on PAGE 8

Friday, April 15, 2011

7

news & features COCAINE continued from Page 7 Regular cocaine users also develop a tolerance to the drug, which happens when receptors become numb to the high-producing neurotransmitters.

By increasing the number of available receptors, levamisole could prevent a tolerance from building up. In essence, levamisole exposure primes the brain for cocaine consumption while simultaneously preventing tolerance LQ ORQJ WHUP XVHUV ,I FRQÂżUPHG WKLV revelation would credit Colombian cartels for an ingenious business decision.

â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ Whether added for business or pharmacological purposes, or both, the fact remains: nearly three quarters of the cocaine in America is cut with levamisole. One may ask why, then, do we not see three quarters of the 1.6 million monthly users of cocaine developing agranulocytosis? /RQJ DJR ZKHQ OHYDPLVROH ZDV ÂżUVW undergoing clinical trials, doctors IRXQG WKDW URXJKO\ SHUFHQW RI patients developed agranulocytosis.

Ten percent of 1.6 million leaves us ZLWK DQ HVWLPDWHG FDVHV RI agranulocytosis, exponentially greater than the number of cases reported by hospitals. Emmanuel Andres of the Department of Internal Medicine at University Hospital of Strasbourg, )UDQFH SXEOLVKHG D VWXG\ LQ WKDW found for drug-induced agranulocytosis, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the mortality rate is currently around SHUFHQW ´ &RQVLGHULQJ WKLV ÂżJXUH RXU calculations produce a bleak estimate: GHDWKV GXH WR OHYDPLVROH LQGXFHG agranulocytosis.

St. Petersburg is more vulnerable than other areas of the country. In the V 0LDPL EHFDPH QRWRULRXV IRU the large amounts of cocaine coming through its ports. Until Mexican cartels

began moving more cocaine across the U.S.-Mexico border, the majority entered the United States through Florida. Naturally, with a major import location in-state, Florida has developed quite the cocaine habit. A quick scan of Tampabay.comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mug Shotsâ&#x20AC;? arrest GDWDEDVH VKRZV URXJKO\ RQH LQ ÂżYH DUUHVWV LQ (FNHUGÂśV DUHD FRGH LQ WKH ODVW GD\V LV IRU WKH SRVVHVVLRQ RU sale of cocaine.

According to Reta Newman of the 'LVWULFW 0HGLFDO ([DPLQHUV RIÂżFH which covers Pinellas County, the cocaine here is not immune to the levamisole contamination nationwide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had FRFDLQH DQDO\VHV ODVW \HDU DQG PRVW of them had levamisole in them,â&#x20AC;? said Newman.

Bayfront Medical Center is feeling the HIIHFWV ,Q WKH KRVSLWDO WUHDWHG cases of agranulocytosis, 44 of which required in-patient care, according to Executive Assistant Sharon Hodge.

Ms. Hodge could not say how many cases could be linked to cocaine use, or whether or not that number was above average for a year, but seemed unaware of what levamisole or agranulocytosis were before checking hospital records.

Due to the possibility of agranulocytosis being asymptomatic, some people may not know they have the condition and recover on their own. Others may realize they have a health problem, but not seek treatment because of their drug habits.

Whatever the case, it would seem a large number of sick people are not receiving treatment, or are unaware of a KHDOWK ULVN LQ WKH ÂżUVW SODFH

â&#x20AC;˘ Turn to page 10 for Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s editorial on the levamisole issue and what can be done to stop it.

Eckerd receives NGLC Grant

By Jeralyn Darling Enertainment Editor

WK 6W 6RXWK

Eckerd College Student Discount Valid for Carryout and Delivery ($2 delivery charge applies).

0HGLXP WRSSLQJ /DUJH WRSSLQJ 0HGLXP WRSSLQJ EUHDG VWLFNV WZR R] VRGDV /DUJH WRSSLQJ EUHDG VWLFNV WZR R] VRGDV 8

Friday, April 15, 2011

Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) announced that Eckerd was JUDQWHG IRU %LOO -XQNLQÂśV Âł,Q class Polling for All Learnersâ&#x20AC;? proposal.

0RUH WKDQ SUH SURSRVDOV ZHUH submitted; among these, Eckerd &ROOHJH PDGH LW WR WKH ÂżQDO DQG ZDV RQH RI WKH VHOHFWHG IRU WKH JUDQW The program is expected to be ready WR EH XVHG E\ SURIHVVRUV E\ )DOO ComPADRE, a National Digital Library

for Physics and Astronomy, will be used to host some of the resources for the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of the funds will pay for hosting services at the ComPADRE site,â&#x20AC;? says Junkin. This will equal about SHUFHQW RI WKH EXGJHW WKH UHPDLQGHU will largely cover the cost of workshops held around the nation and salaries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hard work is just beginning,â&#x20AC;? says Junkin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that students not only learn more but that they become less passive receivers and more active participants in the learning process.â&#x20AC;?

He hopes that students will learn more through his In-class Polling program.

viewpoints

'RHV WKH GHĂ&#x20AC;FLW UHDOO\ PDWWHU" â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amusing EDITORIAL

BY SEAN LAWLOR Staff Writer

T

alk about dĂŠjĂ vu. After weeks of frivolous debate between the president and House Republicans over this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget, the threat of federal government shutdown was only narrowly avoided. With Republicans clamoring for dramatic cuts in spending and the democrats cautiously avoiding spending cuts in education, healthcare and environmental protection, the gridlock seems to have no end in sight.

At the same time, President Obama has deployed American military aircraft and naval powers in a joint NATO humanitarian operation in Libya. If I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know any better, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d think I had taken a time machine back to 1996.

There is one difference however.

During the budget battle of the late 1990s, there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a market bust/recession, there was a market boom. Because the economic conditions in the late 1990s were prosperous, the opportunity to bring America out of the red was optimal. %XW ZKDW DERXW WKH EXGJHW GHÂżFLW LQ 2011? And how did this current budget crisis come to be?

Despite what pundits claim, the current budget crisis cannot be entirely attributed to an out of control spending policy from the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats. As the old

saying goes, it takes two to tango. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn the clock back to 2001. With the help of Newt Gringrich and Congressional Republicans, President Bill Clinton left RIÂżFH ZLWK D PXOWL PLOOLRQ GROODU VXUSOXV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKH QDWLRQ KDG H[SHULHQFHG this in roughly 30 years.

The incoming Bush Administration could have used this moment to reform Social Security and Medicare for the large LQĂ&#x20AC;X[ RI UHWLULQJ EDE\ ERRPHUV H[SHFWHG WR UHFHLYH WKHVH EHQHÂżWV DW WKH HQG RI WKH decade. Instead, the Bush Administration rallied Congress to pass some of the ODUJHVW WD[ FXWV IRU ZHDOWK\ DQG PLGGOH class Americans seen since Reagan. Thus America once again nosedived into the red.

But this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the end. After 9/11, President Bush encouraged Americans to buy like crazy to stimulate the economy instead of saving for the future. He also created the Department of Homeland Security, not a cheap initiative mind you.

Combined with massive defense, or rather offense, spending for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush let WKH QDWLRQ UDFN XS D KHIW\ EXGJHW GHÂżFLW In fact, it was Vice President Dick Cheney ZKR TXRWHG 5HDJDQ ZKHQ KH VDLG ÂłGHÂżFLWV donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter.â&#x20AC;? According to a 2008 issue RI WKH +XIÂżQJWRQ 3RVW Âł7KH GHÂżFLW ZLOO hit $482 billion in the 2009 budget year that will be inherited by Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain, the White House estimated.â&#x20AC;?

When President Obama came into RIÂżFH SODQV ZHUH already underway to pass a major stimulus bill to prop up businesses, banks and Wall Street corporations affected by the coming recession. If this had not happened, unemployment rates would be more in the range of 20 percent rather than 10, and the nation would have headed toward a Great Depression rather than a few year recession. But since a Democrat was in RIÂżFH *RG IRUELG ZH FUHDWH PRUH GHÂżFLW spending.

What are the

FXOSULWV RI RXW RI FRQWURO VSHQGLQJ LGHQWLÂżHG by suddenly thrifty conservatives? Social Security? Medicare? Defense spending?

Oil and gas subsidies? Foreign aid to autocratic regimes? In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker (R) has blamed the collective bargaining rights of public service unions, despite the fact that union PHPEHUV KDYH FRQFHGHG WR EHQHÂżWV FXWV Here in Florida, Governor Rick Scott (R) has blamed infrastructure projects such as electric rail and spending on higher education such as the FRAG Grant.

In Washington itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the EPA budget which Republicans have proposed to cut by 30 percent. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s federal funding for NPR and PBS, I always knew Sesame Street was out to get us.

Planned Parenthood is also on the chopping block, which Republicans have proposed to eliminate entirely from the federal budget. None of these initiatives will even microscopically dent the budget GHÂżFLW DQG 5HSXEOLFDQV NQRZ LW Republicans like Walker and House Majority leader Paul Ryan have called for HTXDO VDFULÂżFHV IURP HYHU\RQH 7KHQ ZK\ is defense spending left untouched? Why DUH 0HGLFDUH EHQHÂżWV IRU SHRSOH RYHU being ignored but Medicaid for the poor is being reduced? Last December, why did 5HSXEOLFDQV LQVLVW WKDW %XVK WD[ FXWV IRU ZHDOWK\ $PHULFDQV EH H[WHQGHG GHVSLWH the fact that they were the catalyst for the FXUUHQW EXGJHW GHÂżFLW LQ WKH ÂżUVW SODFH" 7KH VLPSOH IDFWV DUH WKDW WD[ LQFUHDVHV must be combined with massive spending cuts on entitlement programs to HOLPLQDWH D GHÂżFLW DQG WKLV LV VRPHWKLQJ Republicans have been unwilling to do, and rightly so. In a time when unemployment rates are still high, the economic horizon is still uncertain, and incomes are still low, spending cuts and WD[ LQFUHDVHV ZLOO PRYH XV LQ WKH ZURQJ direction.

Our government must return back to Keynesian ideals and forsake the failed policies of Reaganomics that have turned America into a consumerist, corporate GRPLQDWHG DQG GHÂżFLW ULGGHQ VRFLHW\ In times of economic hardship the government should continue spending on public infrastructure projects, employment, welfare for low income families and education.

The opportunity to reduce or eliminate WKH GH¿FLW VKRXOG EH SXUVXHG LQ WLPHV RI economic growth when incomes are high and unemployment is low. It worked back in the 1990s; it can work again in the future. In a way Dick Cheney was right, ³GH¿FLWV GRQœW PDWWHU ´ DW OHDVW QRW WRGD\

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get down on your knees if you have to.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A creative writing professor on taking great photos.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not evil bastards from the planet Chemistry.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A chemistry professor on an answer to a difficult problem.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skype sex?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A creative writing professor on how to maintain long distance relationships.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have never talked about penis so much.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;An ecology professor discussing a class lecture.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can ask a question and get an answer anytime you want, but not right now.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;An math professor responding to a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s question.

Musingsâ&#x20AC;?

Friday, April 15, 2011

9

viewpoints

EDITORIAL

7KH P\WK RI WKH &KLQHVH HGXFDWLRQ V\VWHP

BY SEAN LAWLOR Staff Writer Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the typical stereotype: Asian kids are characterized as the smartest students who surpass Western students in subjects such as math and science. These claims were DPSOLÂżHG ZKHQ DW WKH HQG RI ODVW \HDU Chinese students received the highest scores in the Program of International Student Assessment, known as the PISA test, while American students scored 23rd or 24th in most subjects.

The score gap was especially evident in the area of math, where the average math score for American students was a measly 487 while *HUPDQ\ÂśV ZDV DQG &KLQDÂśV ZDV Chinese students also scored the highest on the science section, beating the country with the second highest score, Finland, by over 20 points. $PHULFDQ RIÂżFLDOV FRQFHUQHG ZLWK WKH results have called this a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sputnik moment,â&#x20AC;? a sign that the United States must revamp its education policy in order to match Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rising educational standard. This threat of increased Chinese educational merit was even echoed in President Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2011 State of the Union.

So are American educational standards inferior to that of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s? As a student who has taken college classes in both China and United States, I can safely say there is plenty of room for doubt. Last year, I spent a semester at Eckerdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study center at Xiamen University, which is seen as one of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prestigious institutions and beautiful campuses.

With regards to academics and faculty Oftentimes I would see students in the back engagement, I found Chinese classes to be RI WKH FODVVURRP VOHHSLQJ WH[WLQJ RU WDONLQJ slightly dull and dominated by the educatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with friends. lectures. In our Society and Culture class, the Does this kind of environment create a instructor seemed to be put off by skeptical thirst for knowledge? This I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say for opinions toward the one child policy, gender certain, but I can say that it certainly doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t inequality and minority status in China. At the foster a sense of creativity in the future end of the semester, she said something that builders of Chinese society. China may have I thought best summarized her opinion of the GHGLFDWHG VWXGHQWV ZKR DUH JUHDW WHVW WDNHUV attitude of American students: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I appreciate but Chinese universities are still far less H[SHULHQFLQJ GLIIHUHQW attractive to methods of education, foreign students China may have dedicated Chinese education than American is based on fact, and students who are great test takers, i n s t i t u t i o n s , American education even among is based on opinion.â&#x20AC;? but Chinese universities are still far C h i n e s e In a way, I agreed students. with this statement less attractive to foreign students...

As a China insofar as the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; watcher, I Âł6HDQ /DZORU VWDII ZULWHU DELOLW\ WR H[SUHVV WKHLU ÂżQG P\VHOI feelings on a subject in shaking my a class here at Eckerd. Here at Eckerd, I see head at those who overestimate Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students engaging in a discussion with the abilities when they see statistics such as last LQVWUXFWRU DV ZHOO DV D GLDORJXH ZLWK WKH WH[W yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PISA scores. The students who were $V DQ $PHULFDQ VWXGHQW , ÂżQG WKLV PHWKRG WHVWHG LQ WKLV H[DP ZHUH DOO IURP 6KDQJKDL helpful because a range of opinions allows Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most economically developed and my mind to take in consideration all facets of wealthy city besides maybe Hong Kong. the subject in question. This also encourages This is a poor measurement of the entire me to participate in class discussion. countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education standards. In central Another instructor at Xiamen, Prof. Liao a &KLQD SURYLQFHV VXFK DV 6KDQ[L DQG +XQDQ retired economics professor who has taught village schools have actually been closed due $PHULFDQ VWXGHQWV IRU \HDUV H[SUHVVHG WKDW WR D ODFN RI TXDOLÂżHG IDFXOW\ PHPEHUV DQG he preferred to teach American students funds from impoverished local governments. because they were not afraid to speak up and Obviously the Chinese government does question the information he presents in a not provide a quality education everywhere. lecture. When I passed a class in session at In Tibet, students who show promise, such Xiamen, I would always see students glued as my friend Aboo, are taken to schools in to the screen at the professorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lecture. Beijing and Shanghai because schools in the

far western provinces lack the same quality.

It is no surprise to me that Chinese students surpassed others in a standardized test. As far back as the Han Dynasty, Chinese scholars KDYH EHHQ WDNLQJ FLYLO VHUYLFH H[DPV WR JHW into the imperial bureaucracy, considered one of the highest honors in ancient China.

Even today Chinese highschool students must WDNH WKH QDWLRQDO *DR .DR H[DPLQDWLRQ WR EH admitted to colleges and universities. Often these tests will determine the institution students will go to as well as their major.

Needless to say, test taking is a part of the culture.

If there is one thing China has that the U.S. doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more parental encouragement DQG SUHVVXUH IRU WKHLU FKLOGUHQ WR H[FHO LQ academics. Chinese students are pressured E\ WKHLU HQWLUH IDPLO\ WR GR ZHOO RQ H[DPV EHFDXVH RI D VHQVH RI &RQIXFLDQ ÂżOLDO SLHW\ and family honor. In many cases, students in &KLQD KDYH QR VLEOLQJV DQG WKLV H[DFHUEDWHV parental pressure. If the U.S. really wants to match China in test scores, it should look to parents for the solution, not education policy. $OO LQ DOO , ÂżQG ERWK PHWKRGV RI HGXFDWLRQ successful in their own ways. While Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education policy stresses discipline and memorization which works great for math and science, American education allows for independence, debate and analysis which foster an ideal of imagination. I believe that this promotion of freedom of thought is what has made this nation great, and it will continue to do so in the future, despite ZKDW 3,6$ VFRUHV WHOO XV -XVW GRQÂśW ÂżUH PRUH teachers.

EDITORIAL

Adventures in cocaine research

+RZ D ODFN RI FRPPXQLFDWLRQ DQG DZDUHQHVV KHOSV SHUSHWXDWH D SUHYHQWDEOH SUREOHP

MAX MARTINEZ Web Editor Drugs, namely those of the illegal variety, are a touchy subject. Despite their enduring presence in society, discussing WKHVH VXEVWDQFHV ZLWK DXWKRULW\ ÂżJXUHV FDQ EH FKDOOHQJLQJ if not downright awkward. So, when I found myself on the phone with the St Petersburg Police Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Narcotics 8QLW , ZDV XQGHUVWDQGDEO\ QHUYRXV ([FLWHG EXW QHUYRXV When somebody by the name of Ed Hiznay picked up on WKH RWKHU HQG RI WKH OLQH , H[SODLQHG , KDG EHHQ GLUHFWHG WR WKH QDUFRWLFV XQLW E\ RWKHU 633' RIÂżFLDOV , ZDV ORRNLQJ LQWR the presence of levamisole in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cocaine supply, and whether St. Petersburg was equally affected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First of all,â&#x20AC;? Mr. Hiznay said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;who is this?â&#x20AC;?

In my haste to ask questions, or perhaps to get off the line with the Narcotics unit as soon as possible, I had completely forgotten to introduce myself. I laughed as I told him my QDPH DQG PHGLD DIÂżOLDWLRQ 7KH ZHLJKW RI WKH TXHVWLRQ had been lifted, the mood lightened enough to where I was FRPIRUWDOH WDONLQJ DERXW FRFDLQH WR D QDUFRWLFV RIÂżFHU :KRÂśG have thunk it?

After repeating my reason for calling, Mr. Hiznay did what every person I had contacted before him had said, save for 10

Friday, April 15, 2011

one. He was unaware of this chemical I referred to, asked for FODULÂżFDWLRQ RQ ZKDW LW OHYDPLVROH ZDV FDOOHG DQG WROG PH WR contact somebody else.

1R ZRUG EHWWHU GHVFULEHV P\ FRXQW\ ZLGH VHDUFK IRU answers better than frustration. From the SPPD to the 3LQHOODV &RXQW\ 6KHUULIÂśV RIÂżFH WR %D\IURQW 0HGLFDO &HQWHU and everywhere in between, only one person out of nearly a dozen contacted knew anything about levamisole. Despite media attention from the likes of Time magazine, it seemed as though nobody had even heard of there being an issue, let DORQH ZKDW VSHFLÂżFDOO\ WKH LVVXH HQWDLOHG 2QO\ 5HWD 1HZPDQ IURP WKH 'LVWULFW 6L[ 0HGLFDO ([DPLQHUÂśV 2IÂżFH ZKLFK FRYHUV 3LQHOODV &RXQW\ FRXOG DVVLVW me. Before the mispronounced version of levamisole had HYHQ OHIW P\ WRQJXH VKH FRUUHFWHG PH DQG FRQÂżUPHG ZKDW , KDG H[SHFWHG IURP WKH VWDUW )RU DW OHDVW D IHZ \HDUV XS WR ÂżYH OHYDPLVROH KDG EHHQ VKRZLQJ XS LQ FRFDLQH VDPSOHV IURP Pinellas County.

With evidence of cocaine contaminaton popping up as IDU EDFN DV ZK\ GLG WKH QDUFRWLFV XQLW RIÂżFLDO , WDONHG to have no knowledge of it? Why did the Pinellas County 6KHUULIÂśV RIÂżFH QRW NQRZ HLWKHU" Everybody I talked to at Bayfront Medical Center, including WKH ([HFXWLYH $VVLVWDQW ZDV HTXDOO\ LQ WKH GDUN DERXW

levamisole. Nevertheless, a search of their records revealed 61 patients treated for agranulocytosis in 2010. Agranulocytosis, for those that did not read the full article on page seven, is the potentially deadly crash in the immune system one can H[SHULHQFH DIWHU OHYDPLVROH LQJHVWLRQ It would seem the safety of illicit drug users is an afterthought, as if by choosing to use cocaine, these people were less deserving of the regulatory protection enjoyed by alcohol consumers. Considering some of the users in question are fellow classmates of mine and clearly productive citizens, the disregard for the levamiole issue is frightening.

Playing devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advocate, I might suggest that our resources are better served protecting users of legal products. What are we to do, order police to conduct purity tests for cocaine WUDIÂżFNHUV" Clearly, that would be a hypocritical, if not downright comedic, use of law enforcement. But we could always do it ourselves.

If you read the article on page seven, you know levamisole is indectable by common cocaine purity tests, adding to its YDOXH DV DQ DGXOWHUDQW +RZHYHU DQ DOWHUQDWLYH QRZ H[LVWV In a recently released See RESEARCH on PAGE 14 update to his â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mystery of the Tainted Cocaineâ&#x20AC;?

viewpoints

EDITORIAL

6WXGHQWV VHUYH 1HZ 2UOHDQV VL[ \HDUV DIWHU .DWULQD

BY MALENA CAROLLO Staff Writer When I arrived in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans IRU D VHUYLFH WULS WKLV VSULQJ EUHDN , ZDVQÂśW H[SHFWLQJ WR VHH WKH VSUD\ SDLQWHG ;ÂśV RQ WKH VLGH RI KRXVHV WHOOLQJ KRZ many people and animals were found dead inside. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anticipate seeing entire halves of houses that were blown away during Hurricane Katrina, and I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prepared for the ÂżJXUHV ZH ZHUH SUHVHQWHG ZLWK UHJDUG WR KRZ PDQ\ SHRSOH had died during the storm or hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come back yet.

What I was most unprepared for was the resilience and openness of the people of New Orleans. Everyone lost something in the storm, some more than others. One of our hosts at the Lower 9th Ward Village told us that the national average of children who will need mental therapy for the rest of their lives is eight times that of the national average in New 2UOHDQV DQG 3RVW 7UDXPDWLF 6WUHVV 'LVRUGHU LV SUHYDOHQW LQ the area. , ÂżJXUHG WKDW WKLV DORQH ZRXOG PDNH WKH SHRSOH ELWWHU and unwilling to accept outside help, sort of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can do it ourselvesâ&#x20AC;? attitude. When we arrived though, it was an HQWLUHO\ GLIIHUHQW H[SHULHQFH (YHU\RQH ZDV IULHQGO\ DQG welcoming. Both adults and children were more than willing to talk to us about anything from what sort of music they OLNHG WR SKLORVRSKLFDO FRQFHSWV WR WKHLU H[SHULHQFHV GXULQJ the storm.

Our group worked with the St. Bernard Project to help build a house in the 9th Ward where the storm had hit the hardest.

Some areas had up to 21 feet of water â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this house had its roof sticking out of WKH Ă&#x20AC;RRGLQJ , KDG QHYHU YROXQWHHUHG ZLWK a project like this before, so I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure what we would be doing, as none of us were TXDOLÂżHG RU H[SHULHQFHG ZLWK FRQVWUXFWLRQ $IWHU D TXLFN FUDVK FRXUVH LQ LQVXODWLRQ DQG GU\ ZDOOLQJ RXU JURXS EHFDPH PDNHVKLIW construction workers, doing work most of us had never done before.

Between working sessions we stayed photo by Malena Carollo DW WKH /RZHU 1LQWK :DUG 9LOODJH DQ XS DQG FRPLQJ FRPPXQLW\ FHQWHU WKDW GRHV 7KH /RZHU WK :DUG ZKHUH (FNHUG VWXGHQWV VWD\HG GXULQJ WKHLU VSULQJ VHUYLFH WULS projects around the community similar to WKRVH RI WKH 6W %HUQDUG 3URMHFW 2XU ÂżUVW volunteers. Contractor fraud was abundant after the storm QLJKW WKHUH ZH MRLQHG LQ RQ D FUDZÂżVK FRRNRXW DV ZHOO DV and volunteer groups were and are what is helping to rebuild hearing stories from locals that were present. Children ran the city. The St. Bernard Project told us total reconstruction around playing basketball and games with us and the mood is estimated at 10 years from now. Once the major parts of ZDV OLJKW DQG H[FLWHG the city were rebuilt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the tourist attracting sections like Throughout the week, we had the opportunity to tutor Bourbon Street and the French Quarter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; federal, local and some of the neighborhood kids, talk with residents of the state governments almost entirely ignored the hardest hit FRPPXQLW\ DQG H[SHULHQFH 1HZ 2UOHDQV IURP WKH SHUVSHFWLYH areas of the city, the St. Bernard Parish and Lower Ninth of a local. One of the residents took us out to a pond where Ward. he could make alligators come to him on command with a The most important thing I took away from this trip was special call and another took us out on the town a few nights something that we were constantly reminded of while in to some of the local hangouts.

New Orleans. Whether we were talking to the members of :H DVNHG ZK\ WKH SHRSOH ZHUH VR H[FLWHG WR KDYH XV DV the Village or the St. Bernard Project or getting muffalettas volunteers and were told that the majority of the work that is at a local sandwich shop, the people asked us to do one thing, being done in the hardest hit areas of New Orleans is solely â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget about us.â&#x20AC;?

EDITORIAL

Senioritis:

7KH SRVLWLYHV RI SURGXFWLYH SURFUDVWLQDWLRQ

BY PETRA STEVENSON Editor-in-Chief I offered to write this particular column DV D UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLYH SLHFH GHVFULELQJ ZKDW H[DFWO\ I have learned over the course of my four ZHOO \HDUV DW (FNHUG 6XFK D FROXPQ ZRXOG ÂżW QLFHO\ LQ WKLV LVVXH ZKLFK LI \RX KDYHQÂśW QRWLFHG LV ORRVHO\ WKHPHG DURXQG education.

I mulled over this question for a few weeks, not coming to any real conclusions. The only phrase that kept coming to mind was the feeble declaration, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, I think better now.â&#x20AC;?

Somehow, the simple assertion that â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think better nowâ&#x20AC;? suggests that I do not, sadly, think better now. So I moved on. :KDW , ÂżQDOO\ GLVFRYHUHG ZDV WKLV , KDYH learned to procrastinate much, much better than I ever did in high school. I do not mean WKLV LQ D VSHFLÂżFDOO\ QHJDWLYH VHQVH 7KDW LV , do not procrastinate more frequently, or for longer periods, or even at more inconvenient times. I am not simply lazier than I was in high school. (Okay, maybe a little.) I just procrastinate smarter. I like to call it

â&#x20AC;&#x153;productive procrastination.â&#x20AC;?

Several weeks ago, when I was nearing P\ FRPSV H[DPV , ZHQW RXW WR OXQFK ZLWK a couple friends IRU VRPH PXFK QHHGHG ranting. I described how the closer I got to WKH H[DPV WKH OHVV , VWXGLHG DQG WKH PRUH I cleaned my apartment. And my car. And engrossed myself in reading assignments for other, less important classes.

One of my friends agreed. She said something to the effect of, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may be midnight and I may have a paper to write, but if there are dishes in the sink, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do the dishes.â&#x20AC;?

I have to agree. The dishes win every time.

What Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to understand, though, is that maybe this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t such a bad thing.

Unlike typical, unproductive procrastination â&#x20AC;&#x201D; during which you might tool around on Facebook or watch a movie marathon on Comedy Central â&#x20AC;&#x201D; procrastinating productively lets you achieve smaller, more minor tasks before diving into those big projects. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not actually wasting time.

This, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found, leads to a sense of accomplishment, which, although somewhat unwarranted, can give you that needed boost

WR JHW JRLQJ RQ PRUH GLIÂżFXOW WDVNV 1RW WR mention that you have time to loosely plan out writing assignments while your body is engaged in hauling the trash outside or scrubbing the toilet. I wrote this column in my head while mopping the kitchen.

Of course, those of you living in traditional dorms tend to have fewer cleaning RSSRUWXQLWLHV WKDQ WKRVH RI XV RII FDPSXV Or maybe vacuuming and doing laundry really, really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your thing. No problem!

You can procrastinate productively by doing almost anything other than what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re avoiding that would still need to be done at some point.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember the last time you got an oil change? Go get one now. Havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been WR WKH ÂżWQHVV FHQWHU LQ PRQWKV" 7KHQ LWÂśV time to grab your gym shorts. You might HYHQ FRQVLGHU GRLQJ OHVV SDLQIXO KRPHZRUN &DWFK XS RQ VRPH UHDGLQJ \RX QHYHU ÂżQLVKHG Reorganize your planner.

If all else fails, call your parents and vent, or hit up an old friend from home. Make sure to go for a walk while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at it. That way, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll reestablish social ties to people in

different areas (networking, anyone?) and DOVR JHW D OLWWOH H[HUFLVH DQG VRPH VXQ JRWWD maintain that tan), which will clear your KHDG :LQ ZLQ In one of my classes, we recently discussed various parasitic worms that take up residence in the human body and do ugly things. One of the corresponding PowerPoint slides pictured some unfortunate individual DIĂ&#x20AC;LFWHG ZLWK D *XLQHD ZRUP ² D ORQJ VWULQJ like creature that, after poking itself out of its hostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin to spew its eggs, can carefully be H[WUDFWHG E\ EHLQJ SXOOHG DQG ZRXQG DURXQG a stick or match. This process can take weeks, for if wound too quickly, the worm will break and fester under the skin. , ÂżQG WKLV LPDJH RI SDLQIXO WHGLRXV ZRUP pulling to be not unlike what it feels like to write up a particularly challenging and nuanced paper. Unfortunately, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t procrastinate forever. Eventually you will have to sit down and type out that essay or cram for some really nasty test. You will have to slowly pull out that worm. But procrastinate productively, and you can get a whole lot else done in the meantime.

Friday, April 15, 2011

11

viewpoints

EDITORIAL

:K\ GLG , IDLO WKH ZULWLQJ SRUWIROLR" $ GHWDLOHG ORRN DW D SRVVLEO\ Ă DZHG V\VWHP MAX MARTINEZ Web Editor Everybody needs a good laugh from time to time.

I got just that earlier last week upon a visit WR WKH PDLOER[HV $IWHU ZKDW IHOW OLNH IRUHYHU since turning in the writing portfolio, a roommate informed me the results were in.

He had passed. Naturally, he assumed, that meant I had, too.

On the walk over, I casually mentioned to my roommate how funny it would be if I failed. After all, I am an editor for the school newspaper and a correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times, one of the most respected newspapers in the Southeast.

I hate when people toot their own horn, but writing is my thing. It just comes naturally.

I worried only mildly before handing in my portfolio, which my friends thought was crazy. Clearly, I had nothing to worry about, they said. Of course my work is competent.

Apparently, our faculty disagrees. $V , SHHUHG LQWR P\ PDLOER[ , QRWLFHG D lone letter, no bundle of papers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;t, dude,â&#x20AC;?

I said to my roommate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am sorry to inform you that after evaluation by faculty readers, your

12

Friday, April 15, 2011

portfolio has been judged inadequate,â&#x20AC;? read WKH LPSHUVRQDO PHPR IURP RQH $OH[LV ( Ramsey.

I immediately contacted Dr. Ramsey, who, WR KHU FUHGLW ZDV H[WUHPHO\ SURPSW DQG helpful in her reply. Students have the right to appeal, she informed me, but I will not get my portfolio back with suggestions for a few weeks.

All that led me to ask a single question: Is the writing portfolio requirement itself â&#x20AC;&#x153;inadequate,â&#x20AC;? as they so hastily deem a chunk of our students?

First, let us look at the purpose of the portfolio. At its core, the writing portfolio is a good idea. Eckerd wants to make sure all graduates are competent writers, able WR H[SUHVV LGHDV IHHOLQJV DQG V\QWKHVL]HG knowledge through the written word. $V D MRXUQDOLVW E\ WUDGH , ZKROH KHDUWHGO\ agree with this mission. A math major may be a master of numbers, but without the ability to write well, his work is lacking. We might SURGXFH VRPH RI WKH PRVW EULOOLDQW VFLHQWLÂżF minds, but how useful are those minds if the RZQHUV FDQQRW DGHTXDWHO\ H[SODLQ WKHLU ZRUN in writing? Simply put, graduates need to be DEOH WR ZULWH ZHOO WR H[FHHG LQ WRGD\ÂśV ZRUOG

That, I assume, is the logic behind the writing portfolio.

But the implementation of the program is inadequate. Long before I was a junior staring down the deadline for turning in portfolios, I took issue with having to turn it in. Have I not proven myself enough already? From consistently turning in A and B papers for my classes to having 1,000 plus word articles published in the newspaper, I thought, and still think, my writing has been deemed adequate in the public eye time and time again. If you do not think the Eckerd public H\H LV D ÂżW MXGJH then I suggest you ask the St. Petersburg Times.

Surely, their editors would not publish an inadequate writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work almost two dozen times (again, sorry for the horn tooting).

The same line of thinking applies to a multitude of students.

Employees of the Writing Center, the crème de la crème of student writers, are required to prove their competence, despite helping countless others achieve an adequate level of writing. Same goes for editors and writers of The Current and the Eckerd Review. By obtaining such positions, havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t these students already proven their writing abilities? For the sake of our campus publications, I certainly hope so.

And what of the students who take and pass a composition course on their own time? One may assume they are safe from failing the portfolio, but another roommate of mine showed that to be false this week when he received the same letter I did.

On a broader scale, the case can be made that the writing SRUWIROLR VKRXOG EH D ODVW GLWFK

effort for students with low grades to prove they should graduate. Over the course of four years at Eckerd, regardless of their major, students are presented with more than enough opportunities to produce a variety of written work. Naturally, a biology student will write more research papers than a communications student, who will likely write far more personal and argumentative pieces than will the biologist.

When these students are on the verge of graduation, their JUDGHV ZLOO UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW the quality of work they have produced. Poor writing will lower a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grades, and most likely set off a warning Ă&#x20AC;DJ LQ DW OHDVW one professorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head. Therefore, B students, no matter what kind of degree they seek, will have proved that they can write adequately. For the C and D students, who will be dangerously close to the 2.0 GPA required for graduation, their writing has obviously not been of a high quality, among other academic woes they may have.

It is in this situation the writing portfolio should be required. Have you failed to prove your ability to write in class over the last three SOXV \HDUV" 7KHQ WXUQ LQ IRXU RU ÂżYH RI \RXU best works and show us that your low grades ZHUH D Ă&#x20AC;XNH %XW WKHUH LV QR QHHG WR XQIDLUO\ require every single studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writing to be HYDOXDWHG E\ QRW RQO\ WKHLU LQ FODVV SURIHVVRUV but also by a mysterious committee of faculty.

It wastes time and resources while adding another undue pressure to the backs of students, already breaking under the weight of class projects, QFM and comps.

The good intentions of the writing portfolio are unquestionable. It is not an evil graduation requirement as many of us would OLNH WR WKLQN %XW LW LV PRVW GHÂżQLWHO\ D SRRUO\ structured system that leaves no wiggle room, lumping students into one of two categories: â&#x20AC;&#x153;adequateâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;inadequate.â&#x20AC;? It is time we look at the portfolio requirement in the same black and white light.

It wastes time and resources while adding another undue pressure to the backs of students, already breaking under the weight of class projects, QFM and comps.

0D[ 0DUWLQH] ZHE HGLWRU

viewpoints

EDITORIAL

7KH 6XSHUPDQ ZH¡YH EHHQ ZDLWLQJ IRU JOHNNY JONES Staff Writer

Geoffrey Canada really believed in Superman.

Raised by a single mother in Harlem, Canada dreamed that his hero would swoop from the skies to rescue him from the clutches of the ghetto.

And then his mom told him the truth.

With no hope of being saved by his caped champion, he decided to take matters into his own hands. In 1990, Canada became the CEO of Harlem Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zone. HCZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to put impoverished children on track for academic success. The organization helps FKLOGUHQ DQG WKHLU IDPLOLHV LQ D EORFN area around Harlem navigate their way from preschool to college with its innovative SURJUDPV DQG H[SHULHQFHG OHDGHUV Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to education reform has been praised from coast to coast. President Obama called Harlemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Children Zone ÂłDQ DOO HQFRPSDVVLQJ DOO KDQGV RQ GHFN DQWL SRYHUW\ HIIRUW WKDW LV OLWHUDOO\ VDYLQJ D generation of children.â&#x20AC;?

'DYLV *XJJHQKHLPÂśV ÂżOP Âł:DLWLQJ IRU Supermanâ&#x20AC;? is about those children. It tells the story of Anthony, Daisy, Francisco, Bianca DQG (PLO\ ÂżYH FKLOGUHQ VWUXJJOLQJ WR VXUYLYH LQ D IDLOLQJ HGXFDWLRQ V\VWHP )URP WKH %URQ[ to Los Angeles, Guggenheim captures the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s families desperately seeking better HGXFDWLRQ RSWLRQV 7KH ÂżOP SUDLVHV SHRSOH OLNH *HRIIUH\ &DQDGD ZKR DUH WU\LQJ WR Âż[ Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most broken schools.

So what does this have to do with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R)?

Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war against the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unions has been headline news for weeks. His plan to VROYH :LVFRQVLQÂśV PLOOLRQ EXGJHW GHÂżFLW

LQYROYHV FXWWLQJ VWDWH HPSOR\HH EHQHÂżWV DQG collective bargaining rights for state unions.

U.S. News and World Report says that Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim that the budget overhaul is not about breaking public unions is false.

When Wisconsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public unions leaders said they would accept Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed FRPSHQVDWLRQ FXWV LQ H[FKDQJH IRU NHHSLQJ their bargaining rights, he refused, revealing his true intentions. Even state senate GOP OHDGHU 6FRWW )LW]JHUDOG WROG )R[ 1HZV WKDW the budget battle was indeed about crippling the unions.

The American Federation of Teachers has become one of Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest enemies.

The AFT is the second largest education union in the country and, according to WHDFKHUVXQLRQVH[SRVHG FRP RQH RI WKH PRVW harmful. The websiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homepage describes â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education crisisâ&#x20AC;? and has political advertisement videos outlining the problems that the unions are creating. It states that unions â&#x20AC;&#x153;block reforms needed to improve our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schools.â&#x20AC;?

And it all comes down to tenure.

According to Time Magazine, roughly 2.3 million public school teachers in the U.S. have tenure. Once a teacher is granted tenure, they FDQQRW EH ÂżUHG 1RW IRU VH[XDO KDUDVVPHQW Not for refusing to do their job. Nothing. If a tenured teacher decides to stop showing up for class, the administration is powerless to ÂżUH WKHP A study by Dr. Robert Balfanz at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools outlined a disturbing problem across the nation: schools he calls ÂłGURS RXW IDFWRULHV ´ $ VFKRRO TXDOLÂżHV DV D drop out factory when 40 percent or more of the initial student body doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t graduate on time. The study counted 1,700 drop out

factories nationwide and suggests that tenured teachers may be the root of the problem.

The school boards have developed a method for dealing with their lowest performing tenured teachers. They call it the Dance of the Lemons. Or Pass the Trash. Or the Turkey Trot. At the end of each year, principals within each school GLVWULFW H[FKDQJH WKHLU SUREOHP teachers or â&#x20AC;&#x153;lemonsâ&#x20AC;? in hopes that the teachers they get wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be as terrible as their last batch.

This is the reality of how Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public schools operate. The unions prevent the least effective teachers IURP EHLQJ ÂżUHG Former District of Columbia Public Schools chancellor Michelle Rhee tried her own approach to UHIRUP ,Q WKH *XJJHQKHLPÂśV ÂżOP Rhee offers the teachers union a two option proposal: either give up WKH ULJKW WR WHQXUH IRU D VLJQLÂżFDQW pay raise (up to $140,000, nearly $100,000 more than the current average teacher salary) or keep tenure and earn smaller pay raises.

Unfortunately for reformers, the teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union rejected her proposal.

In a way, Walker is taking his own DOEHLW H[WUHPH DSSURDFK WR MXPSVWDUWLQJ education reform. While his war against collective bargaining rights seems downright unconstitutional, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no denying that Walker has moved the teachers unions into negotiation.

But he committed political suicide when he UHIXVHG WKH XQLRQÂśV ÂżUVW FRXQWHU RIIHU +DYLQJ

ÂżQDOO\ FRQYLQFHG RQH RI WKH PRVW VWXEERUQ promotional photo

organizations in the country to accept change was a monumental achievement. He should have seized the chance to get something done instead of further angering the unions.

Whether you agree with Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war on unions or not, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to deny that Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public education is not working. Walker may not have handled the situation correctly, but he did prove that reform is possible.

EDITORIAL

6WXGHQWV YRLFH PDWK FRQFHUQV CARVER LEE Asst. Quickie Editor When Junior Kristina Gillahan was asked how she felt about the math classes she had taken at Eckerd she responded with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found myself frustrated throughout the whole course for every single one of them. They made me hate math when I used to love it.â&#x20AC;?

Having already taken one math class here and currently enrolled in another, I can relate to how Gillahan feels, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not the only one. Ask any student whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taken a math class at Eckerd and he or she will have a story to tell. Though the same can be said for any school and any department, the responses at Eckerd appear overwhelmingly negative. When I failed to get answers from math faculty, I went to Dean of Faculty Betty Stewart, who responded via email.

6WHZDUW FRQÂżUPHG WKDW WKRXJK WKHUH KDYH EHHQ RIÂżFLDO compliments made toward the math department, there have DOVR EHHQ RIÂżFLDO VWXGHQW FRPSODLQWV 2QH ZD\ LQ ZKLFK

Eckerd is trying to improve the math department, according to Stewart, is by limiting the number of students in each section of the introductory courses. This will allow for students to have a more personal, individual education.

However, based on student responses, class size is not necessarily the issue. The issue is the way the courses are being WDXJKW 2I WKH ÂżYH PDWK VSHFLÂżF SURIHVVRUV IRXU FXUUHQWO\ have tenure, which means that they have proven to the school WKDW WKH\ DUH H[FHSWLRQDO HGXFDWRUV 7KH SUREOHP LVQÂśW WKDW the professors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand what they are teaching; the problem appears to be that many of them are clearly more comfortable with upper level mathematics courses than introductory courses.

Dean Stewartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emailed response to this possibility: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe we have enough faculty to deliver the courses needed by our students. The issue of teaching introductory math classes is a nationwide discussion and not just at Eckerd.

Some of the concerns stem from the level of preparation of students prior to enrolling in college level math classes.â&#x20AC;?

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right. I checked. The Princeton Review provides a list of other colleges and universities that are most commonly looked at by perspective students who are also looking at (FNHUG $FFRUGLQJ WR 8 &$1 WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG &ROOHJH $FFRXQWDELOLW\ 1HWZRUN WKH DYHUDJH PLGGOH SHUFHQW RI PDWK 6$7 VFRUHV RI WKH IUHVKPDQ FODVV LV IURP WR $FFRUGLQJ WR 7KH &RPPRQ 'DWD 6HW WKH PLGGOH

percent of math SAT scores of the Eckerd freshman class is IURP WR (FNHUGÂśV VFRUHV DSSHDU WR EH FRQVLGHUDEO\ lower than those of our competition, but our acceptance rate is considerably higher. The average acceptance rate of RXU FRPSHWLWRUV LV SHUFHQW ZKLOH RXUV LV DSSUR[LPDWHO\ percent.

Compared to other schools, our students might be less prepared for a rigorous college math course, but we are choosing to accept these students. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t this mean we should be prepared to teach them?

Competing schools according to The Princeton Review Boston College Boston University Brown University Cornell University Elon University Flagler College Guilford College New York University (not updated for 2011) Northeastern (not calculated in average acceptance rate because unavailable) Rollins College Wake Forest University (not updated for 2011) Friday, April 15, 2011

13

viewpoints RESEARCH continued from Page 10 series (the inspiration behind and a key source of my article) for Seattleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Stranger, reporter Brendan Kiley and Dr. Mike Clark, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harborviw 0HGLFDO &HQWHU OD\ RXW WKH VWHSV WR D GR LW \RXUVHOI OHYPLVROH test kit. The two previously collaborated on a levamisole test kit which they handed out at harm reduction centers in 6HDWWOH DIWHU WKH SXEOLFDWLRQ RI .LOH\ÂśV ÂżUVW ÂłWDLQWHG FRFDLQH´ piece.

7KH DW KRPH WHVW NLW LQVWUXFWLRQV DUH VLPSOH DW OHDVW IRU those with access to the necessary chemicals. From what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve

gathered, many of these chemicals are present in Eckerd science labs. The rest are available online, in quantities large enough to produce hundreds of kits for a low cost.

But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a catch. Under our current drug laws, anything used to test the purity of an illegal substance is also illegal, considered possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.

The Seattle PD allowed Kiley and Clark to distribute the kits without prosecution. Florida law enforcement is much more stringent.

Levamisole is no longer undetectable. Thousands of cocaine users in Pinellas County could be protected without the state ever having to drop a dime. All they have to do is allow

test kits to be distributed without the risk of arrest looming overhead, and a possible public health problem can be laid to rest before it gets out of hand. This is something Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an organization headed by Johnny -RQHV DQG P\VHOI SODQV WR WDNH XS RYHU WKH QH[W \HDU 6WD\ tuned for a possible petition we may circulate, or send one of us an email to get involved. )RU DQ\ERG\ ZKR ZDQWV WR ÂżQG RXW KRZ WR WHVW FRFDLQH for levamisole, head over to www.thestranger.com/seattle/ OHYDPLVROH WHVW NLW UHFLSH IRU .LOH\ DQG &ODUNÂśV KRZ WR JXLGH I would recommend cocaine to absolutely nobody, but personnal choice is a human right in my opinion. The least we can do is make those choices safer.

PerspECtives Q: What is the most valuable thing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned at Eckerd?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned time management.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Victor Gomez, freshman, left â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m smarter than I thought I was.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Alex Smith, junior

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gained knowledge about different cultures.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jesus Silvia, freshman, right

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to apologize for something later than to ask for permission.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;William Ashworth, sophomore, left â&#x20AC;&#x153;How we each contribute to becoming a well-rounded person, no matter your age or nationality.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Maria Becerra, senior

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Time management skills.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Trey Fisher, sophomore, right 14

Friday, April 15, 2011

COMPILED BY JOSH ANNARELLI, LIZZY BROPHY, CAIT DUFFY, JOHNNY JONES & MIKHAIL TURNER

Review

arts & entertainment

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?â&#x20AC;? showcases hideous gifts

BY LAUREL ORMISTON News Editor

What would you do if you could attend a live taping of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jersey Shoreâ&#x20AC;?? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Real Housewivesâ&#x20AC;?? A Comedy Central Roast? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tudorsâ&#x20AC;??

If the idea of psychological and physical sparring appeals to you, then â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?â&#x20AC;? should be on your calendar for April. The dark comedy written

by Edward Albee is the 1960s forerunner to reality TV. In an era where ratings say we love the drama of real-life verbal battles and ¿VW ¿JKWV ³:KRœV $IUDLG´ LV D ZHOO timed revival for American Stage.

The play centers around a latenight party gone awry, where the host and hostess are as willing to sex and scar the guests as any bad-girl or boy we can imagine. Actuallyâ&#x20AC;Ś more so. It may be hard to believe, but Albeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of a middle-aged couple in New England is more disturbing than many a thing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ÂżQG LQ PDLQVWUHDP FLQHPD RU FDEOH Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HBO for theater. Psychological torture, sex, violence, profanityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

merely saying the topics can never express the way in which the dark side of humanity is exposed and gutted during three acts of â&#x20AC;&#x153;ugly talents.â&#x20AC;?

The close-quarters of these individuals, audience and set make for an experience where emotion is bottled to the point of exploding.

And it does. While the play begins with the brash personality of Martha (portrayed by Christine Decker), the initial chaos is nothing compared to when her husband (portrayed by Richard B. Watson) comes into his own and decides to play â&#x20AC;&#x153;get the guests,â&#x20AC;? Nick and Honey. The action unfolds on a set simultaneously improbable DQG UHDOLVWLF DW ÂżUVW LPSUHVVLRQ resembling a somber Polly Pocket box.

One particularly strong choice for the scenic design is that of carpeting.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mock it. Floor furnishing may seem unimportant, but the sound RI D Ă&#x20AC;RRU FDQ GR ZRQGHUV WR RXU psyches. We know the creak of our Ă&#x20AC;RRUERDUGV :H NQRZ WKH SDG RI feet on pile or the swish of furniture moving around a rug. And so in this productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quieter moments, the

promotional photo

soft slide of furniture on carpet lures you into the realm of homeVZHHW KRPHÂŤXQWLO WKH ÂżQDOH ZKHQ you squirm with the realization that the domestic drama could happen at your own residence. On a cheerier note, the mixed texture of WKH FDUSHW IURP UHSHDWHG IRRW WUDIÂżF puts you at ease when you walk in the door. It looks so natural that you might even step on the set by

accident as you head to your comfy red seat (Oops!).

Stomping, dancing and kneewalking about that carpet are the twin acting power-houses of Watson and Decker. Individually or as a team, the two are a delight to watch onstage. The audience laughs; even as they recoil further into their seats from the duoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brutality against each other and their guests. The directorial hand of Todd Olson helps highlight the best in his actors, allowing their charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; driving need to gain and manipulate the otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affections to be seen in unusual staging during conversations with Nick and Honey.

Their body language at all times conveys a sense of â&#x20AC;&#x153;searchingâ&#x20AC;? for the other. This restless quality ironically only enhances the horror of the tactics they use; but also the extreme degree of the love the characters have for each other.

Supporting actress, Betty-Jane Parks, is an Eckerd alumna. Parks portrays Honey, a young housewife harboring a secret that she hides from in alcohol. In a role that reads relatively two-dimensionally on paper, Parks gives the perpetually

intoxicated Honey an affability and depth that allows the audience to appreciate just how traumatic DQG HQOLJKWHQLQJ WKH ÂżQDO VFHQH LV intended to be.

Performed by a small fourperson cast, each has at least a few moments of genius the audience can enjoy. The same cannot be said for their costumes; but at least the clothes are worn well by their animators and do not detract from the performance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?â&#x20AC;? runs through April 23 at American Stage, located at 163 Third St. North, St. Petersburg, about ten minutes from campus.

Student tickets are sold a half hour before curtain for $10. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really pressed for cash, â&#x20AC;&#x153;pay what you canâ&#x20AC;? night is April 19 at 7:30p.

P 7U\ WDNLQJ D SDO WR VSOLW D ÂżYH dollar parking fee that lets you park around the side of the building.

Or, risk your chances with the free parking on the street. For show times visit www.americanstage. org. Next up from American Stage is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rentâ&#x20AC;? premiering April 15; and on the Eckerd Campus check out â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gamesterâ&#x20AC;? April 14.

Gotta get down on Friday: Partyinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, partyinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

BY MALENA CAROLLO Staff Writer

Justin Bieber has been surpassed in both age and annoyance by a thirteen-year-old whose mommy has a lot of money. Rebecca Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s track â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fridayâ&#x20AC;? went viral in early February after her mother reportedly spent $2,000 on a music video with Ark Studios. After being dubiously publicized on Tosh.0 as someone who shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write lyrics, Black has gained almost 98 million hits on the YouTube video.

Black is on the fast track to a Disney Channel contract with her heavy makeup and barelythere vocals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fridayâ&#x20AC;? is akin to a watered-down Chris Brown song to get 13-year-olds pumped for their parentally-supervised night out to the PG-13 movies, with its message no deeper or more complicated than how much she is â&#x20AC;&#x153;looking forward to the weekend.â&#x20AC;?

However age-appropriate the lyrics may be, the video is a far cry from a pre-pubescentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekend activities. The video opens with Black rushing to school and waiting for the school bus. A great suspension of disbelief is required as a top-down convertible of her â&#x20AC;&#x153;friendsâ&#x20AC;? pulls up with two kids sitting on the top of the back seat offering Black a ride to school. Does your mother know you skipped the school bus, little girl? Eighth grade kids driving themselves to school in a nice car with no seatbeltsâ&#x20AC;Ś SUHSDUH WR IRUIHLW \RXU SURÂżWV WR DQ interest group that takes offense at the unsafe driving conditions impressed on young viewers, Black.

The budding-Bieberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lyrics leave much to be desired, ranging from a play-by-play of her wake up and cereal consumption to the ever-important question regarding D ÂżYH VHDW car with four

passengers already: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Which seat can I take?â&#x20AC;? The chorus is almost as invasive as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a small world,â&#x20AC;? stamping, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Partyinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; partyinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Yeah! Fun, fun, fun, funâ&#x20AC;? into your consciousness for the remainder of the day. Striving to show the high points of the American education system, Black expresses her joy for the weekend by singing, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We we we so excitedâ&#x20AC;Śwe gonna have a ball today.â&#x20AC;?

The piece de resistance of this lyrical miracle comes in the form of a breakdown of the days of the week, where Black proceeds to remind the listeners which day comes after which: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesterday was Thursday, today it is Fridayâ&#x20AC;Ś tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday comes afterwards.â&#x20AC;? Perhaps this can be used as an informative NLQGHUJDUWHQ HGXFDWLRQDO ÂżOP The video pans to Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house party, where half of the guests sport braces and baby-face skin yet

to be marred by the inevitable teenage acne bouts. Amid more pricey cars parked out front, WKH XQGHUDJH JLUOV ZHDU RXWÂżWV including four-inch stiletto heels and dresses that insult the standard junior high â&#x20AC;&#x153;longerWKDQ \RXU ÂżQJHUWLSV´ UXOH What teenage music video is complete without an older black male rapper driving a sports car? promotional photo Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video covers Black advertises her Twitter page. all the bases, including a cameo appearance by Patrice Wilson, pump-up song making shout outs one of Ark Studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s producers, who to a bus full of children less than shouts out to â&#x20AC;&#x153;RB, Rebecca Blackâ&#x20AC;? half his ageâ&#x20AC;Śhave we ventured into as he is â&#x20AC;&#x153;driving, cruising, fast lane the realm of pedophilia? switching lanes.â&#x20AC;? In his twentyBlackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorly green-screened second interlude, Wilson, all the teen hit is available for viewing on while squinting from the bright YouTube, along with an acoustic evening lights, makes note that, version performed live and several â&#x20AC;&#x153;passinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by is a school bus in front of parodies, of which the Chad Vader me.â&#x20AC;? A thirty-plus man getting down parody is worth viewing. to a thirteen-year-oldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekend Friday, April 15, 2011

15

arts & entertainment

Horoscopes

BY JERALYN DARLING AND SHELBY HOWELL Horoscope Muses

ARIES Mar 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Apr 19 Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re keeping up with work, but are you working to your full potential?

Work a little every day.

TAURUS Apr 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 20

Take that important paper to the Writing Center for some extra insight.

GEMINI May 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jun 20 Too much stress from the dorm and the library are getting you down. Go to the beach for a change of scenery.

CANCER Jun 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jul 22 Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been letting yourself get too distracted in the dorm. Go to the library to get some focused work done.

LEO Jul 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Aug 22 Stressing about a speech? Go to Rahall Communication Center to rid your speech anxiety.

VIRGO Aug 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sept 22

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the party scene distract you as much as it has been. Balance your fun and studies.

16

Friday, April 15, 2011

Dorm cookinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Microwave Mac â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cheese

BY KATY ESTES-SMARGIASSI Contributing Writer Easy Microwave Mac and Cheese for One! Adapted from www.thekitchn.com

LIBRA Sept 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Oct 22 The dorm is too loud but the library is too quiet. Try studying outside. The sounds of nature will calm you.

SCORPIO Oct 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nov 21 Before starting to study for that test make sure you have plenty of food and drink so you can stay focused without distractions.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dec 21 StumbleUpon and YouTube are not helping with your homework. Stop procrastinating and get to work.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan 19 Your lack of sleep and hard work may be weighing on your health.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to take vitamins and drink water before a tough day.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Feb 18 Work hard and play hard. Take a good chunk of the day to work and study, then relax a bit and let loose.

PISCES Feb 19 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar 20 Organize a study group with some friends. Sometimes support is all you need to get through a tough assignment.

½ cup your choice of macaroni pasta ½ cup water Pinch of salt Âź cup milk ½ cup your choice of shredded cheese - (I use sharp cheddar) Pour water and pasta into a microwave safe bowl and salt the water. Microwave on high for about six minutes, stopping it every two minutes to give it a stir. If the water all cooks off before the pasta ÂżQLVKHV FRRNLQJ DGG PRUH WDEOHVSRRQV ZDWHU :KHQ WKH SDVWD LV DO GHQWH VWLU LQ WKH PLON DQG cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is as creamy as desired (about 1 ½ to 2 minutes total). Adding a few more tablespoons milk and cheese will make a creamier mac and cheese. Feel free to add in some extras, such as bacon, ham, peas, or salsa if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling creative. Enjoy!

Turning tables with Corbin Hayes

BY KATIE HONAN Contributing Writer His dorm room is the size of any other traditional dorm room.

There are traditional appliances â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a fridge, a microwave. But turn toward his desk and your mind GRHV D EDFN Ă&#x20AC;LS DV LW DWWHPSWV WR take in all of the shiny equipment used by top of the line DJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. A VK\ JX\ ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;XII\ EURZQ KDLU khaki shorts and a plaid buttonup shirt stands behind it all. His hands move quickly from a midi keyboard to a drum pad to a computer keyboard.

The sound that is the consequence of all this rapid movement resonates through the core of your body with a sort of orgasmic entrancement.

Introducing sophomore Corbin Hayes, Eckerdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own house music DJ. On Tuesdays, he brings The Garden in downtown Saint Petersburg to life from 10 until 3 a.m., inviting everyone to bob

their head, or depending on the dancer, entire body, to his sweet beats. &RUELQ FODVVLÂżHV KLV PXVLF as Electro-House and Dubstep, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Electro-House uses heavily distorted basslines, and has a call and response type sound. Dubstep can be distinguished by the wobble basslines and, of course, the WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP.â&#x20AC;? &RUELQ ZDV ÂżUVW LQWURGXFHG to the music industry at the ripe old age of three. His father gave him a guitar, which Corbin taught himself to play, along with the piano. For him, music serves many purposes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both emotionally and socially. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I enjoy it for myself,â&#x20AC;? he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;as well as playing it for others and having other people enjoy it.â&#x20AC;?

Creating an Electro-House song is a challenge. In general, the most prominent feature of Electro-House is the beat, not the vocals. Corbin tried to describe his complex creative process: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I go in order of the song. Intro,

break-down, build, main (1), break down, build main (2), and outro.â&#x20AC;? He says that he will begin with inspiration from another song, such as something from one of his favorite artists like Deadmau5, Skrillex, Wolfgang Garter, Porter Robinson and Avicii, the prince of progressive house. He says his favorite aspect of creating music is to see peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reaction â&#x20AC;&#x153;when playing a song or creating one. Even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bad one, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always positive.â&#x20AC;?

No doubt that creating any type of music is a daunting, but rewarding task. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Electronic music is all about creativity and what you can do to a sound.â&#x20AC;?

He adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is endless opportunity and endless genres within it that enable you to create pretty much whatever you want. I love Dubstep and Electro-House because of that anticipation for an insane drop to just rock your face off!â&#x20AC;?

Well said, Corbin.

arts & entertainment

Events

Apr. 15 - 28

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Day of Silence!

7 p.m.

“The Illusionist” Miller Aud. 8 p.m.

Drag Show Fox Hall 8 p.m.

“The Gamester”CPS Bininger Theater

22 No Classes!

8 p.m.

Stuff-a-Bunny and Egg Dyeing Eggstravganza Triton’s Pub

2 p.m.

“The Gamester” Bininger Theater - CPS

7 p.m.

Spring Ball Jannus Live 8 p.m.

“The Gamester” Bininger Theater - CPS

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Earth Fest - CPS Hough Quad

6 p.m.

The Current Meeting Brown 103

8 p.m.

“The Gamester” Bininger Theater - CPS

7 p.m.

Project Indie Film Miller Aud.

9:30 p.m.

AAS Karaoke Triton’s Pub

23 8 p.m.

“The Gamester” Bininger Theater - CPS

24

25

26

27

7 p.m.

Project Indie Film Miller Aud.

7:30 p.m.

Death Penalty in America Fox Hall

7 p.m.

The Current Movie Night!

“Reporter” Miller Auditorium

1:30 p.m.

Poetry with Professors Triton Rooms

8 p.m.

Open Mic with Will Rubino Triton’s Pub 8 p.m.

“The Gamester” Bininger Theater - CPS

28 7 p.m.

4th Thursday Coffee House Series

6 p.m.

Relay for Life Bank Night Student Lounge

To advertise your event with The Current, contact Current Entertainment at currententertainment@eckerd.edu Review

Angie’s Front Porch Cafe still does it old fashioned way

BY CAIT DUFFY Asst. Quickie Editor In a time and age where fast food and chain restaurants rule, a small local-owned cafe can seem like a treasure of the past. But on 7th Ave. N. in downtown St. Petersburg, Angie’s Front Porch Cafe is keeping the idea alive.

Known for their Cuban sandwiches, egg salad and chicken caesar wraps, “Angie’s” is located across the street from the historic Round Lake Park. The small eatery is decorated with small knick-knacks and home-made crafts, making the overall vibe incredibly homey. The restaurant is run by “farm girls who still do it the old fashioned way!” as they say on their website, alluding to the home-style feel of the place.

When I stepped inside for lunch on that sunny afternoon, I immediately felt comfortable and was excited about the meal to come. Mary Ann Kelley was the lovely waitress who helped me and my friend. Kelley was overwhelmingly friendly and kind, and with regular customers coming in to give her hugs, seemed like the neighborhood grandmother.

She showed us where we could help ourselves to either fresh-made coffee, tea, lemonade or water. Kelley then instructed us to have a seat outside in the lovely weather, where she would be taking care of us.

The lunch menu was two printed pages stapled together, with a long list of appetizing sandwiches and salads and their respective side dishes, including a delicious fruit salad with papaya. I had the Cuban sandwich and a pink lemonade; the EHVW RI HDFK WKDW ,¶YH PDQDJHG WR ¿QG DQ\ZKHUH LQ GRZQWRZQ St. Pete. And in coming up with the restaurants for the St. Pete Sampler in the Quickie each issue, I’ve had a chance to sample quite a few places myself.

The website (www.angiesfrontporchcafe.com) boasts the quote “We are proud to be Southern women who still cook from scratch!” attesting to the fact that the food is incredibly fresh and overall very delicious. All of their ingredients are locally grown, each meal is made to order and you can really tell that the customer is number one.

During my delicious meal, another customer in the

restaurant ordered a banana split for dessert. Despite the fact that the supply of bananas had just run out, Kelley instantly grabbed her car keys to make a trip to the grocery store to pick some up so that they could make his dessert for him. He stopped her and said that it wasn’t necessary - he could live without his banana split - but the extra effort for the sake of a customer was truly impressive and admirable.

In a later discussion with Mary Ann Kelley, she said that she hoped to see more Eckerd students come through and visit the shop, and that customers are “welcome to bring your dogs to sit outside with you.”

Also run out of Angie’s Front Porch Cafe is their organic produce stand, “Comfort and Joy,” as well as a gift shop where you can purchase home decor, cards and other items such as jewelry and key chains.

The cafe is located at 497 7th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg, and can be contacted at (727)-320-4540. Their hours are Wednesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Friday, April 15, 2011

17

arts & entertainment

SEX on the beach

BY ALLY JINN Sex Columnist

Facts about STDs - Get Yourself Tested â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;All STDs are treatable, and many are curable.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you test positive for chlamydia, you will be given a prescription for an antibiotic that will cure this case of chlamydia.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you test positive for herpes, you will always have herpes. But you can take medications to treat the symptoms.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Avoid using animal skin (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;naturalâ&#x20AC;?) condoms, which prevent pregnancy but arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as effective in preventing all STDs, including HIV.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emergency contraception can be started 5 days after unprotected sex, but the sooner itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s started the better it works. Emergency contraception does not protect against STDs.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you are in a situation where your partner tells you that he or she has an STD, listen to all your partner has to say, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t jump to conclusions. Be supportive and recognize that your partner may be going through a hard time with this.â&#x20AC;?

Sexual education on campus

The Current Sex Survey Results

Coordinator of Health Promotion says:

â&#x20AC;˘ Are you or have you been sexually active (intercourse or otherwise) on campus?

Â&#x2021; Âł,ÂśP ZRUNLQJ RQ WU\LQJ WR ÂżQG ZD\V RI making [free condoms] more accessible to everyone.â&#x20AC;?

YES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 79.6% NO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20.4%

â&#x20AC;˘ Do you feel that Eckerd College adequately educates students on sex, protection, STIs, testing, pregnancy, etc.?

YES, DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 27.1% YES, BUT COULD DO MORE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 41.9% NO, NOT ENOUGH EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 27.5% NO, NO EDUCATION AT ALL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3.5%

â&#x20AC;˘ Types of sexual education seen on campus:

FREE CONDOMS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 94.3% BULLETIN BOARDS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 51.1% ACTIVITIES/CPS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 62.4% TESTING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 87.8%

Â&#x2021; Âł, KDYH ODWH[ IUHH FRQGRPV LQ >P\ RIÂżFH@ but only for those who need them.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Pinellas County Health Department donates our condoms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; about 3,000 every other month. â&#x20AC;˘ Health Center no longer gives out Crown condoms.

2009 Results from Health Center Survey â&#x20AC;˘ Partners over the last 12 months:

26% NO SEXUAL PARTNERS 35% ONE SEXUAL PARTNER 14% TWO SEXUAL PARTNERS 8% THREE SEXUAL PARTNERS 17% FOUR OR MORE SEXUAL PARTNERS

â&#x20AC;˘ Condom use during sexual activity:

5% FOR ORAL 61% VAGINAL 25% ANAL

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; data courtesy of Megan Coy

â&#x20AC;˘ Health Department will not give out Trojan Magnums, Lifestyles XL are the same size. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; interview with Megan Coy

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; survey of 230 students created with SurveyMonkey

promotional photos courtesy of GYTnow.com

Quick 10: Coming out this week in entertainment ALBUMS

MOVIES

Alison Krauss Paper Airplane

Foo Fighters Wasting Light

Paul Simon So Beautiful So What

BOOKS

The 9th Judgment

By James Patterson 18

Friday, April 15, 2011

Chasing Fire

By Nora Roberts

The Twilight Saga: the Official Guide

By Stephanie Meyer

the Across 1. ____ loss (2 wds) 4. Peeled 9. Pod inhabitant 12. Hr. part 13. Smell 14. Musical genre 15. Amuse 17. Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cont.

18. Apollo agcy.

19. Iron setting 21. Take it easy 24. River in Egypt 27. Egg dish 30. Distress cry (2 wds) 32. Capital of the Philippines 33. ____ Rico 34. Firstborn 35. Consents 36. New Jersey Team 37. Malt drinks 38. Road guide 41. Picks 45. Cry noisily

Quickie

47. Genuine 50. Comrade 51. T-bone, e.g.

52. Fuss 53. Exist 54. Rich dessert 55. Harden Down 1. Prayer response 2. Vocalist ___ Turner 3. Industrious insects 4. Golf goal 5. Skill 6. Sunday dinner item 7. Give off 8. A Scandinavian 9. Movie opening 10. Water, to Jacques 11. Spring mo.

16. Most ahead of time 20. Gillian ___ of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The XFilesâ&#x20AC;?

22. Slithery swimmers

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always enough time for a quickie

23. Medical â&#x20AC;&#x153;at once!â&#x20AC;?

25. Delayed 26. Greek god 27. Forewarning 28. Gender 29. Small furniture item (2 wds) 30. October gem 31. Mammoth 37. Autumn Bloom 39. Final 40. Car 42. School groups (abbr.)

43. Ocean movement 44. Kilt wearer 45. Watering place 46. Paddleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kin 48. Bonnet 49. Squeak by

Find the answers online at www.theonlinecurrent.com crossword courtesy of www.boatloadpuzzles.com

5V 2GVG 5CORNGT 6JG 3WKEMKGÂśU IWKFG VQ QĎ&#x2039; ECORWU EWKUKPG A. Beverlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La Croisette (9-11 min) 7401 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach, FL Phone: 727.360.2253 Breakfast: Su-Sa 6:30 am to 2 pm Lunch: Mon-Sa 11:30 am to 2 pm Food: 4.5 Price: $-$$$ www.beverlyslacroisette.com

B. Undertow Beach Bar (6-10 min) 3850 Gulf Blvd St Pete Beach, FL Phone: 727- 368 - 9000 Hours: Su-Sa 8:00 am - 2:00 am food: 5 price: $$-$$$$ www.undertowbeachbar.com

C. The Chattaway (13-16 min) 358 22nd Ave S, St Petersburg, FL (727) 823-1594 Hours: Su-Sa 11:00 am to 9:30 pm Food: 4 price: $-$$

D. Fortunatoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Italian Market (1215 min) 259 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL (727) 898-4888 food:4.5 price: $$-$$$$

Price $-$$$$ ($ = <$5.00 per meal $$$$ = $20.00+ per meal) Food Quality (1-5)

ATTENTION READERS: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for you to take control! Any suggestions for a restaurant you want to see in the sampler? How about a review youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to read before eating somewhere? Send your suggestions for restaurants, as well as absolutely any other subject youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to read about, to your Quickie editors at either ceduffy@eckerd.edu for Cait Duffy, celee@eckerd.edu for Carver Lee, or martinpm@eckerd.edu for Max Martinez. courtesy of Google maps Friday, April 15, 2011

19

quickie

Eckerd, according to The Princeton Review: Eckerd College Students Say About Campus Life...

7KH IRRG RQ FDPSXV LV ³QRW VR JRRG ´ DZHVRPH´ ZDWHUIURQW SURJUDP DOORZV DQG ³WKH ROGHU GRUPV QHHG VRPH ZRUN ´ students to check out kayaks and $OVR WKH FDPSXV LV ³IDLUO\ VHFOXGHG IURP ERDWV <RX FDQ DOVR WDNH VDLOLQJ DQG 6W 3HWHUVEXUJ VR JHWWLQJ DQ\ZKHUH ZLQGVXU¿QJ FODVVHV 7KH SDUW\ VFHQH ZLWKRXW D FDU LV GLI¿FXOW ´ 2WKHUZLVH KHUH LV E\ DOO DFFRXQWV RXWVWDQGLQJ WKRXJK OLIH KHUH LV JUDQG ³:H FDOO LW ³:HHNHQGV DUH SUHWW\ FUD]\ ´ H[SODLQV D &DPS (FNHUG ´ UHODWHV D VRSKRPRUH VHQLRU ³7KXUVGD\ WKURXJK 6DWXUGD\ LW LV 6WXGHQWV VD\ WKH FDPSXV LV ³YHU\ HDV\ WR QRW KDUG WR ¿QG VRPH NLQG RI WKHPHG JHW DURXQG ´ 7KH ZHDWKHU LV SHUSHWXDOO\ SDUW\ LQ XSSHU FODVV GRUPV ´ ³$ ORW RI ZDUP ³<RX QHYHU KDYH WR ZHDU VKRHV ´ EHHU LV FRQVXPHG RQ WKH ZHHNHQGV ´ 7KH DWPRVSKHUH LV ³ODLGEDFN ´ $W WKH REVHUYHV DQ DZHG ¿UVW \HDU VWXGHQW VDPH WLPH ³7KHUH LV DOZD\V VRPH W\SH :KHQ \RX IHHO WKH XUJH WR JHW DZD\ RI VFKRRO RU RUJDQL]DWLRQ VSRQVRUHG WZR JRUJHRXV EHDFKHV DUH YHU\ QHDUE\ HYHQW JRLQJ RQ ´ 6WXGHQWV DUH DOVR 'RZQWRZQ 7DPSD LV RQO\ D KDOI KRXU ³YHU\ DFWLYH LQ WKH RXWGRRUV ´ QRW OHDVW from campus, and Busch Gardens and EHFDXVH WKH FDPSXV LV ³VXUURXQGHG 'LVQH\ :RUOG DUH ZLWKLQ D UHDVRQDEOH E\ ZDWHU RQ WKUHH VLGHV ´ 7KH ³UHDOO\ GULYH DV ZHOO

20

Friday, April 15, 2011

Eckerd College Students Say About The Students...

Picture what would happen if you WKH MRFN WKH ³LQGLH URFNHU ´ DQG ³WKH combined the school stoner, the class PDWK QHUG ´ &OLTXHV KDSSHQ HVSHFLDOO\ president, the jock and the funny guy, DPRQJ DWKOHWHV EXW ³HYHU\RQH FDQ GHSLFWV D ¿UVW \HDU VWXGHQW ³1RZ hang out with everyone with 100 subtract the shoes and add a perfect SHUFHQW FRPIRUW ´ ³3HRSOH VPLOH DW HDFK WDQ ´ 7KDW LQ D QXWVKHOO LV WKH W\SLFDO RWKHU DQG VD\ KH\ ´ GHVFULEHV D VHQLRU XQGHUJUDG DW (FNHUG ³6WXGHQWV KHUH ³,W LV D SUHWW\ UHOD[HG DQG IULHQGO\ KDYH D ORW RI VHOI FRQ¿GHQFH´ DQG WKH\ DWPRVSKHUH ´ DUH ³VXUSULVLQJO\ IULHQGO\ ´ 0RVW DUH Rankings for 2011: ³SUHWW\ SK\VLFDOO\ ¿W DQG RXWGRRUV\ ´ RQ 5HHIHU 0DGQHVV OLVW Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to generalize about this place, 7RS 6RXWKHDVWHUQ 6FKRROV OLVW WKRXJK 0DQ\ VWXGHQWV GRQ¶W ¿W WKDW %HVW &ROOHJHV SUR¿OH DW DOO ³7KHUH LV D KRGJHSRGJH RI SHRSOH ´ 6WXGHQWV ³UDQJH IURP FRPSOHWH How do you feel about these descripKLSSLHV WR DOWHUQDWLYH WR SDUW\ JLUOV ´ tions? Let us know! (Check the St. Pete WR ³SDOH VNLQQHG JDPHUV ´ WR ³DUWV\ Sampler for email addresses.)

PDULQH VFLHQFH SHRSOH ´ 7KHUH¶V DOVR

sports Current The lives of student-athletes

Sports SOFTBALL (11-32, 0-15) Friday, April 15 v. Lynn 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 v. Lynn (DH) 1 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 v. Tampa 6 p.m.

Friday, April 22 v. Tampa (DH) 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 27 @ Saint Leo 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 28 @ Saint Leo (DH) 6 p.m.

BASEBALL (12-20, 1-11) Friday, April 15 @ Rollins 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 @ Rollins (DH) 1 p.m.

Tuesday, April 19 @ Warner (DH) 12 p.m.

Friday, April 22 @ Lynn 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 23 @ Lynn (DH) 12 p.m.

Wednesday, April 27 @ Webber International 7 p.m.

BY ASHLEY DANIELS Assistant News Editor

Consider this: nearly 30 hours a week spent in class or RQ VFKRROZRUN KRXUV D ZHHN VSHQW RQ WKH ÂżHOG RU RQ WKH court. Now try to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA while being enrolled in four courses all while trying to have some sort of social life.

This is the life of an Eckerd College student-athlete.

7KHUH DUH QHDUO\ DWKOHWHV DFURVV WKH ÂżYH PDOH VSRUWV and six female sports offered at Eckerd. These studentathletes are held to the same standards as every other student at Eckerd but with the extra pressure of being an athlete. So just how do they succeed on and off their respected playing surface?

Time management.

Head baseball coach, Bill Mathews says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a VLJQLÂżFDQW DPRXQW RI IUHH WLPH WKDW HDFK DWKOHWH KDV GXULQJ the course of any given day and I try to promote a productive approach to that time [because] itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy for an athlete to procrastinate or even use his/her sport as an excuse for not getting their work done.â&#x20AC;? Mathewsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; philosophy works. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The NH\ WR EHLQJ VXFFHVVIXO LV ÂżQGLQJ D URXWLQH WKDW ZRUNV IRU \RX on an individual basis,â&#x20AC;? says junior right-handed pitcher Joe Cuda.

Time management skills are extremely important for student-athletes. Even junior volleyball player Ariana Chinn says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;[I] try to get my homework done during any free time that I may have outside of practice, games and class.â&#x20AC;?

Even mastering the skill of time management, these athletes still run into challenges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Group meetings,â&#x20AC;? says junior guard Taylor Young. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year for one of my classes we were trying to get a set time to all get together but it was right around the conference tournament and my schedule for EDVNHWEDOO NHSW FKDQJLQJ ,W ZDV UHDOO\ KDUG WR WU\ DQG ÂżQG D good time to meet with my group.â&#x20AC;?

Sophomore volleyball player Liv Fraser agrees. For her, trying to schedule classes around her strict practice and game schedule can be tricky. She provided an example of â&#x20AC;&#x153;not being able to take calculus with a stronger teacher because it is an 8:30 a.m. class and practice is scheduled at that time.â&#x20AC;?

6RSKRPRUH PLGÂżHOGHU 'DQLHO /RSH] ÂżQGV LW FKDOOHQJLQJ WR get enough sleep to do his schoolwork. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The road trips and PRUQLQJ VHVVLRQV PDNH HYHU\WKLQJ GLIÂżFXOW EHFDXVH LW PDNHV you exhausted. So I take my work on road trips and take naps when I get a chance.â&#x20AC;?

Even with the challenges these student-athletes face, in the end, the pros outweigh the cons. Being part of a college sports teams helps prepare the athletes for the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that there is no better way to learn some of the more GLIÂżFXOW OLIH OHVVRQV WKDQ WKURXJK DWKOHWLFV ´ VD\V 0DWKHZV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through athletics we gain a very unique insight into our own being and as a result probably become a bit more resilient as an adult.â&#x20AC;?

Junior utility softball player Emma Docking, who also is the secretary of Student Athletes Advisory Committee and part of the Student Affairs Committee, believes being a studentathlete will help with her future because â&#x20AC;&#x153;it shows employers the amount of time that one has spent on doing multiple activities and not just in the classroom.â&#x20AC;? Alex Patterson, MXQLRU PLGÂżHOGHU DOVR EHOLHYHV WKDW EHLQJ D VXFFHVVIXO VWXGHQW athlete can impress future employers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[It] demonstrates to everyone how effective you are at managing your time and coping under the pressure of two stressful environments, the FODVVURRP DQG WKH ÂżHOG ´ The womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head soccer coach, Danielle Fotopoulos, thinks the two go hand-in-hand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you get into the real world

you have to work with people you sometimes do not want to work with,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just like in the sport environment, this happens, but everyone has to learn to work together to create a common goal and to make a positive outcome.â&#x20AC;?

Over the course of their time at Eckerd, these players are learning life skills such as teamwork, communication and leaderships -- skills that they will take with them once their WLPH RQ WKH ÂżHOG LV RYHU Recently, a public service announcement video by the NCAA was released to dismiss the myth that athletes are just â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dumb jocks.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The video stars student-athletes, both past and present. In an article by Kristen Leigh Porter on NCAA. org, she quotes Cynthia Dallas, a former All-Big Ten Illinois basketball player. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people talk to me and just assume Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m dumb because of the way I look,â&#x20AC;? said Dallas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people just assume that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t string a coherent sentence together because I played sports, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very wrong.

I hope this helps continue to dispel rumors about studentathletes.â&#x20AC;?

In the same article, Bob Williams, NCAA vice president of communications, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dumb Jocksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spot, we have an opportunity to present largely unknown facts about student-athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; academic performance while also depicting the athleticism and competitive drive of NCAA studentathletes.â&#x20AC;? One of those facts is that the number of NCAA student-athletes receiving a diploma is at an all time high.

The video concludes by saying there are more than 400,000 NCAA student-athletes and just about all of them will be going pro in something other than sports.

Eckerd promotes the same message. As Mathews put it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We coach student-athletes, not athletic-students.â&#x20AC;?

photo by Ashley Daniels Junior midfielder Alex Patterson dribbles a soccer ball while reading a book Friday, April 15, 2011

21

sports

Uconn stifles Butler in ugly finals

BY SETH RAVID Staff Writer Coach Jim Calhounâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Uconn Huskies enjoyed their one shining moment for the third time, defeating scrappy Cinderella Butler 53-41. Fans were treated to a historically XJO\ VWUXJJOH 8FRQQÂśV SDWKHWLF SHUFHQW IURP WKH ÂżHOG looked positively splendid next to the title game record low 18.8 percent of the Butler Bulldogs, whose three two-point ÂżHOG JRDOV ZHUH DOVR WKH IHZHVW LQ FKDPSLRQVKLS JDPH history.

Yes, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no typo; Butler went 3-31 from inside the arc.

Butler fans can console themselves with the knowledge that this abysmal shooting performance was largely a product of WKH VWLĂ&#x20AC;LQJ GHIHQVH RI WKH ORQJHU DQG PRUH DWKOHWLF +XVNLHV who blocked 10 shots and consistently forced the Bulldogs into compromised angles and bad looks at the basket. By the time Uconnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s star guard Kemba Walker completed a 20-3 +XVN\ UXQ ZLWK D VSHFWDFXODU VFRRSLQJ OD\XS LQ WUDIÂżF ZLWK about 10 minutes to play, the brooding Bulldog bench knew all was lost.

But things hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always looked so grim for the underdogs, who remarkably took a 22-19 lead into halftime despite shooting just 22 percent. This lead came courtesy of a deep,

EX]]HU EHDWLQJ WKUHH IURP %XWOHUÂśV PRVW GDQJHURXV VFRULQJ threat, Shelvin Mack. With both teams struggling offensively and the Bulldogs riding this wave of momentum into the locker room, Butler seemed poised to outlast a Connecticut lineup that was struggling with foul trouble in this lowscoring grinder of a game.

The mark of a great coach is the ability to turn games around with clever tactical adjustments, and 68-year old Husky legend Jim Calhoun acquitted himself well against Butler coach Brad Stevens, a man half his age and with far OHVV WKDQ KDOI KLV H[SHULHQFH ,Q WKH VHFRQG KDOI 8FRQQ ÂżQDOO\ got its offense going by leaning on talented freshman Jeremy /DPE DQG WKHLU QHZIRXQG FRQÂżGHQFH ZDV HYLGHQW LQ 6KDED]] Napierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gutsy alley-oop toss from the top of the key to Lamb, who guided it home to give Connecticut a 37-28 lead with PLQXWHV WR SOD\ 0HDQZKLOH DW WKH RWKHU HQG RI WKH Ă&#x20AC;RRU the bigger Huskies packed their opponents out of the paint, swatting every shot and crashing the boards on their way to a 36-21 advantage in defensive rebounding.

As the Bulldogs slogged through two long scoring GURXJKWV PLVVLQJ RI WKHLU ÂżUVW QG KDOI VKRWV WKHLU crestfallen frustration began to show. On several occasions, Butler shooters came up well short of the rim on close range, uncontested shots, suggesting that the intimidating shot

blocking of Huskies Alex Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith had these shooters shaking in their sneakers. The Bulldogs would score just two points in the paint all night. Unable to get anything going inside, they retreated behind the arc, attempting 33 3-pointers despite their well-documented weakness as a 3point shooting team. Their 9-33 performance was much better than Uconnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1-11, but not nearly enough to keep pace with a Husky offense that was taking full advantage of its VL]H DQG DWKOHWLFLVP Âł<RX QHHG WR XQGHUVWDQG WKDW GHIHQVH is going to really take you and hold you in any game till your offense gets going,â&#x20AC;? said Coach Calhoun. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happened tonight.â&#x20AC;?

The Bulldogs fell 53-41, leaving fans, players and Coach Stevens to wonder what might have been. Despite their domination at the paws of the Huskies, the Bulldogs have much to celebrate back home in Indianapolis. Throughout their season and their tournament run, they consistently took down bigger, more athletic and higher-seeded powerhouse opponents with good, old-fashioned grit. Reaching the Final Four two years in a row as a mid-major program is a remarkable achievement, and a harbinger of the future successes that Butler looks certain to achieve under the leadership of young Brad Stevens, perhaps the best up-andcoming coach in the land. Hold your heads high, Bulldogs, it was one hell of a run.

F1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s season of change kicks off in Australia

BY SETH RAVID Staff Writer Melbourne, Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Albert Park Lake played host to the opening round of the 2011 Formula One racing season March 27. The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive motorsport put on a grand show, as teams from nine different countries around the world rolled out their newly designed and ultra-sophisticated racing machines.

Among the technologies showcased was the Kinetic Energy Recovery Sytem (KERS), reintroduced after a hiatus in 2010, which allows the energy generated by a carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carbon

courtesy of Wikicommons German Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel testing his car in Barcelona in February.

22

Friday, April 15, 2011

braking system to be stored in electrical or mechanical form and reused to give the driver a temporary horsepower boost of 80. This year also marks the introduction of the Drag Reduction System (DRS), a collapsible rear wing section that gives a driver extra speed on WKH WUDFNÂśV PDLQ VWUDLJKW %RWK RI WKHVH LQQRYDWLRQV ZHUH DLPHG DW DGGUHVVLQJ WKH GLIÂżFXOW\ RI SDVVLQJ DQRWKHU FDU LQ )RUPXOD 2QH D Ă&#x20AC;DZ WKDW KDV SODJXHG WKH VSRUW IRU \HDUV DQG disappointed many potential fans. A completely new range of tires from new series partner Pirelli completed a trifecta of major changes that teams and drivers would have to adapt to.

However, as F1 technology changed, one thing remained the same: the dominance of $XVWULDQ RXWÂżW 5HG %XOO 5DFLQJ )XHOHG E\ WKH FDVK Ă&#x20AC;RZ RI JOREDO HQHUJ\ GULQN JLDQW 5HG %XOO WKH WHDP DOVR EHQHÂżWHG IURP WKH WDOHQWV RI OHJHQGDU\ FDU GHVLJQHU $GULDQ 1HZH\ DQG *HUPDQ driving sensation Sebastian Vettel, who last year became the youngest world champion in the sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history at the tender age of 23. Vettel picked up where he left off, outpacing his rivals by 0.778 seconds in qualifying for an easy pole position. In a sport in which teams spend months of development and testing and millions of dollars clawing for hundredths and thousandths of seconds, this was a crushing margin and an omen of defeat for Vettelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitors.

As expected, Vettel ran away with the race. However, fans found plenty of heated battles to get excited about further down the order, beginning with Ferrari driver Felipe Massaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliant defensive struggle against hard-charging McLaren driver Jenson Button in the early going. Some of the sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest drivers surprised with brilliant drives in inferior cars.

Second-year driver Russian Vitaly Petrov drove his Lotus Renault to 3rd SODFH IRU KLV ÂżUVW SRGLXP ÂżQLVK ZKLOH 0H[LFDQ URRNLH 6HUJLR 3pUH] FDPH WK IRU 6DXEHU DOWKRXJK KLV WHDP ZDV ODWHU GLVTXDOLÂżHG IRU D WHFKQLFDO LQIULQJHPHQW 7KH FRPELQDWLRQ RI .(56 DQG '56 VHHPHG WR do their job, enabling several overtaking maneuvers on the main straight. Pirelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new range of tires received mixed reviews, as the harder compound failed to match the performance of the softer compound and neither laid down the accumulating layer of rubber on the track that drivers usually count on to give them more grip as the race weekend progresses.

With an entertaining debut behind them, the elite competitors of Formula One began their preparations for the Malaysian Grand Prix, which was contested April 10 in Kuala Lumpur.

Although Vettel and Red Bull won that race quite easily, racing fans can still look forward to D VHDVRQ RI VXUSULVLQJ XSVHWV DQG VSHFWDFXODU SHUIRUPDQFHV IURP D ÂżHOG DZDVK ZLWK \RXQJ talent. Formula oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s season of change might just deliver the refreshing shakeup this glorious sport needs.

sports

Freshmen sailors contributing to team

BY JOSH ANNARELLI Contributing Writer From different countries with different sailing backgrounds, WZR IUHVKPHQ RQ WKH (FNHUG VDLOLQJ WHDP DUH ÂżQGLQJ SOHQW\ of opportunity to showcase the diversity of their backgrounds and talents. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was looking for colleges, I was looking at schools with good sailing programs and Eckerd was one of them,â&#x20AC;? said Freshman Hidde van der Molen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I was looking at sailing, I also took into account the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;American Pieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ideal of college in the States.â&#x20AC;?

Hidde, reining from the Netherlands, has been sailing since he was 7 years old. By 11, he was competitively sailing in local regattas. As his skills advanced, so did the competitiveness within the regattas. By 13, he was invited to the Dutch Championships, which he turned down because of his passion IRU VRFFHU (YHQWXDOO\ +LGGH FDPH WR WKH UHDOL]DWLRQ WKDW KLV true passion was for sailing, as well as for a love of being in the water. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I continued to sail while I played soccer, but more for the sport of it,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was 15, I was invited to sail for the national team and I accepted.â&#x20AC;? Following his acceptance to the national team, Hidde raced Lasers at this point, which is a small racing sailboat. Hidde competed in two European Championships. In his second championship he placed 17th out of 180.

Molen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sailing was more of a hobby in the beginning, but as my skills started to progress, racing competitively

became more a part of my life. Although I started doing more events, my passion for sailing was never tainted.â&#x20AC;?

7KLV SDVW VXPPHU +LGGH FRPSHWHG LQ :RUOGV LQ %UD]LO D race during which the qualifying national teams compete in a regatta to determine who are the most skilled teams. In the WZR UDFHV SUHFHGLQJ WKH ÂżQDO UDFH LQ %UD]LO 0ROHQ SHUVRQDOO\ placed 2nd and 4th ,Q WKH ÂżQDO :RUOGV UDFH LQ %UD]LO KH UDQNHG 17th out of 220.

Another Eckerd sailor, Freshman Bobby Savoie hails from Rhode Island. Savoie began sailing when he was just 7, and two years later he was competing in local sailing events. This is when Savoie says he started gaining great interest in the sport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m from everyone seemed to sail, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I was doing. As I got older and I progressed in my sailing, I began enjoying it more and more, but as high school came around it seemed a lot of people started to give it up, but I stuck with it,â&#x20AC;? he said.

In Savoieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s junior and senior years of high school, he and his teammates led their school, the Portsmouth Abbey, to backto-back Northeast East Championship wins. This brought the team to nationals two years in a row. Having been co-captain his junior year and captain his senior year, these two wins are memorable to Savoie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eckerd sparked my interest due to the strong sailing program and the beautiful weather, I was so sick of the cold weather in the Northeast,â&#x20AC;? said Savoie. %RWK +LGGH DQG 6DYRLH DJUHH WKDW VDLOLQJ LV D PDUJLQDOL]HG sport unlike soccer or baseball. However, sailing is also not as easy as it may appear to spectators.

photos courtesy of Hidde van der Molen Top: Van der Molen sailing an Eckerd boat. Above: Eckerd freshmen sailors Hidde van der Molen (left) and Bobby Savoie.

Friday, April 15, 2011

23

sports

7KH 2IĂ&#x20AC;FLDO 6WXGHQW 1HZVSDSHU RI (FNHUG &ROOHJH

photo courtesy of EC sailing Eckerd sailors out on the Gulf

Eckerd student-athletes

A look into the time commitment of being a student-athlete

Page 21

Formula One racing

The 2011 Formula One season kicked off with races in Australia and Malaysia

Page 22

Eckerd sailing team

A profile of Hidde van der Molen and Bobby Savoie, two freshmen sailors

Page 23