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Volunteer options readily available for students
T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 1 1 , 2 0 1 8 I V O L . 5 5 N O. 2 8
Monster Jam provides nostalgia for student Page 4
w w w. u s fo r a c l e. co m
YouTube should be held accountable Page 6
U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F LO R I DA
USF, UCF are Big 12 ready Page 8
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the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
Editor in Chief Miki Shine oracleeditor@gmail.com @MichaelAZShine
Staff Sam Newlon
Multimedia Editor Chaveli Guzman oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com
@ChaveliGuzman
Graphic Artists Jessica Thornton
News........................................................3 Lifestyle................................................4 Opinion.................................................6 Classifieds...........................................7 Crossword..........................................7 Sports.....................................................8
Advertising Sales Matthew Comstock Tadge Haskins
Copy Editor Andrea Martin
The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer. The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).
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CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. Contact Editor in Chief Miki Shine at 974-5190.
News Briefs
NEWS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Stampede of Service allows students to give back Comedians to perform at USF and spend time volunteering in community on Friday By Amanda Lopez
‘I’m not a f****** pedophile’
C O O R E S P O N D E N T
A podcast featuring Shane Dawson has recently gone viral in which the popular YouTuber is accused of attempting to justify pedophilia. In Dawson’s podcast, Shane and Friends, he equates foot fetishes to pedophilia. “Here’s my justification for pedophilia: People have foot fetishes, people have Students will spend their Saturday giving back to the community. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/USF.EDU fetishes about everything, By Jessenia Rivera that’s fine, do your thing,” part of this.” an area they’re interested C O O R E S P O N D E N T Dawson said. “So why is Former student, Maxon in, they’ll be surrounded it when somebody looks Victor, founded SOS in 2006 with people who share the at and Googles like ‘naked The USF Center for with the goal of celebrating same interest. According to Leadership & Civic the memory of MLK. Fitzgerald, this has resulted in baby’ on Google and Engagement (CLCE) is hosting The inaugural event proved students making connections jerks off to it, they can get its annual Stampede of Service to be a success when over and friendships with the arrested? I don’t understand (SOS) event on Saturday. 900 students from the campus people around them. These that.” To commemorate the community joined to volunteer connections have included Dawson recorded this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, in East Tampa’s parks and student-to-staff relationships podcast six years ago and student organizations, neighborhoods. that have resulted in has since apologized. In community members, staff According to the CLCE’s opportunities for students. a YouTube video Dawson and faculty come together on site, the SOS event was made “Big groups are not always posted on Jan. 10, he one day to serve a variety of a tradition from then on. a good idea.” Fitzgerald said. vehemently denies the non-profit organizations. As With over 60 organizations “It’s unlikely that a group of USF’s largest day of service, being served by SOS, 50 people will like the same claims. students and faculty alike will students have the options to thing.” “Everybody’s saying have the opportunity to give volunteer with senior citizens, According to Fitzgerald, the ‘Shane make a statement,’” back to the community. environmental activists, youth, goal for SOS is for people to Dawson said. “There’s my Justin Fitzgerald, assistant homelessness, women’s rights enjoy the area they choose statement. I’m not a f****** director for the CLCE, said this and more. and feel inspired enough to pedophile. Its disgusting event helps students connect To avoid being put in an keep working for with the nonthat people are saying that with the organizations they area that doesn’t interest a profit beyond the collegiate I’m a f****** pedophile, choose. person, SOS allows students level. because of some shitty a** “We want students to fall to choose where they’re going There are four MLK f****** jokes from six years in love with where they go,” based on what they want to principles that SOS strives Fitzgerald said. “It’s really do. to celebrate: strengthen ago on a podcast.” important for our Bulls to be a
Once, a participant selects
n See SERVICE on PAGE 7
The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is hosting its first Bulls Nite Out comedy show on Friday. It will feature Jenny Zigrino and Gibran Saleem. Aside from being a supporting role in 2016 comedy films “Fifty Shades of Black” and “Bad Santa 2,” Zigrino has made appearances on Girl Code, Adam DeVine’s House Party and Comedy Central’s @ Midnight. According to Zigrino’s website, “with the sweetness of the Midwest and the iron balls of the East Coast, Jenny Zigrino is a comedian that packs a punch of truly original humor.” Recently, Zigrino released the IFC web series “The Filling is Mutual” with fellow comedian, Jen Saunderson. Gibran Saleem, who has been featured on MTV, TV Land, Elite Daily and Cosmopolitan, will be opening the show. Saleem, raised in a Pakistani household, started doing comedy while attending New York University for psychology. According to his website, “Gibran is the only comedian to ever be selected, as a finalist for both the Stand-Up NBC and NBC’s Late Night program; where he was 1 of 6 individuals hand selected over 1,000 submissions.” In an email to the Oracle, Jill Teeter, the student programs coordinator for the
n See COMEDY on PAGE 7
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LIFESTYLE
Student to get rowdy at Monster Jam
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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By Andrea Martin S T A F F
Nothing says virility quite like a 12 feet tall by 12 feet wide truck weighing in at 9,000 plus pounds. The 2018 Monster Jam season has revved up its engines and readied itself to wow the Tampa crowd at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday. Crowd favorites such as Grave Digger and Pirate’s Curse are among the monster trucks to be showcased. Ashlee Jarvis, a sophomore majoring in health sciences and dance, is ready to watch the hot wheels fly. Absolutely thrilled at the chance to see the spectacle live again after years of having to watch the event on television, Jarvis gets to share this weekend with her sister. “I bought my sister tickets for Christmas,” Jarvis said. “I thought it would be a fun thing to experience again, since we haven’t been in over 10 years.” When the Jarvis sisters were much younger they used to go to the event every year with their father. Now that Jarvis is off to college and doesn’t see her sister as often, she makes sure that every Christmas gift The former Monster Jam World Champion, “El Toro Loco” puts on a show for Monster Jam goers and will be joining the line-up at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE is extra special. “I was searching for a gift the exclamations, Monster Jarvis and her sister can notice she enjoys and can bring her California, and, of course, that I thought she would like,” Jam provided the sisters their growth quite drastically. back to her childhood roots.” Tampa. Jarvis said. “My sister is 18 the opportunity to relive However at the heart of it, In January 2017, Monster “Truck-wise, I am most now so it was hard to decide childhood memories. some things never change. Jam celebrated its 25th year excited to see Grave Digger what a good present would “I came across Monster Jam “My sister was a tomboy of making the dust fly. The because that’s the most wellbe. I ultimately decided that on Ticketmaster,” Jarvis said. growing up,” Jarvis said. “She Triple Threat Series this known truck,” Jarvis said. “It a gift we could experience “I remembered when we used used to play with toy trucks year takes place in multiple has been featured in Monster and do together would mean to go when we were little, and pretend to be a racecar stadiums across the country: Jam for a long time. Drivermore to her than something and I thought it would be the driver in our play car. She has East, West, and Central. This wise, though, I would have meaningless.” perfect gift.” changed over the years, but weekend alone Monster Jam is to say I’m excited to see the Between the gasps and Reminiscing on yesteryear, Monster Jam is still something taking over Toronto, Anaheim, female drivers.”
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OPINION
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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YouTube’s censorship system is flawed
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What you said Opinion editor Samantha Moffett and Multimedia Editor Chaveli Guzman asked students what they think YouTube should do about the latest censorship controversies.
“They should ban him (Logan Paul), and for future videos like that they should take more measures because it’s offensive.” In a slew of recent controversies, YouTube needs to update their video classifications. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Samantha Moffett O P I N I O N
E D I T O R
As internet users in 2018, we are all able to produce content, share it with an audience and be considered “content creators” regardless of background, orientation or qualifications. The internet in the modern day has made it possible for any person with access to it to have the opportunity to create videos for any viewer to see. YouTube is a platform where this opportunity can come to life. While YouTube is a positive place where creators put out content in many different genres it is also a place where offensive videos have an opportunity to be shared and reach millions of viewers. YouTube currently has a policy that prohibits videos with offensive language, sexual content, or “controversial subjects” including tragedy or violence from being monetized. The algorithm in place is that of a robot, separating the offensive material from the nonoffensive. However, like many algorithmic programs, there are flaws within the system. YouTubers who work to make a living off the platform from advertisements and monetization have their non-offensive videos demonetized due to mistakes within the algorithm, while other YouTubers with offensive videos remain monetized and available for
millions of viewers to watch. The common theme among the flawed system is that more popular YouTubers with greater viewership are able to publish virtually anything they please that will attract views and money and slip through the filters. The standard that YouTube has set into place is often not enforced equally across the platform. In March of 2017, YouTube was under fire for censoring content from hundreds of LGBTQ creators and hiding it from the public, labeling the videos under “Restricted Mode.” While this is one of many issues that have been centered around YouTube algorithm, the most recent case is in relation to Logan Paul, a popular YouTuber with nearly 15.7 million subscribers. Paul posted an offensive video containing images of a man who had committed suicide in the Japanese forest Aokigahara. Otherwise known as the Sea of Trees or the Suicide Forest, Aokigahara is notorious for being a place where many have gone to end their life. Hundreds of bodies are tragically found here every year, as reported by Scare Street Publishing. In one of Paul’s most recent vlogs, the YouTuber and a group of his friends came across a man who had committed suicide and proceeded to insensitively film
and make light of the situation for their millions of viewers to see. The video was edited, posted and quickly became one of the biggest controversies centered around YouTube to date. How did the offensive nature of this video slip past YouTube’s censors? YouTube released a statement after much backlash regarding both Paul and the site. The statement via Twitter says that the company is “looking at further consequences” and that they will soon share the steps they are taking to “ensure that a video like this is never circulated again.” YouTube must improve their algorithm to put an end to their erroneous system. A large and powerful company such as YouTube, which is owned by Google and has a potential net worth of nearly $40 billion, has the means to hire a successful team that is dedicated to filtering out sensitive material. The company has a duty to protect its users. Will YouTube ignore the issue and continue on with their flawed system, or will they take the proper measures to diminish the problem? YouTube’s credibility as a company depends on their next move.
Samantha Moffett is a sophomore majoring in mass communications.
— Jenny Nguyen, a freshman majoring in biomedical science. “YouTube should disallow him (Logan Paul) to use YouTube. It puts the message out that if you post something of that level, you will be repremanded.“ Steven Radd, a senior — majoring in accounting.
“It’s morally repugnant and it violates YouTube’s pretty clear policies, and I don’t think you should be continued to be allowed to use YouTube like that.” — Gugielmo Pinto-Gouveia, a junior majoring in political science. “It’s up to YouTube to expand their policies and make sure they’re actually inclusive, not pick and choose when to apply the rules.” — Tori Brown, a freshman majoring in mass communication.
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SERVICE
Continued from PAGE 3
communities, empower individuals, provide justice for all and live one’s purpose. Honoring these principles throughout the event will guarantee a great time for every person involved.
COMEDY
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CAB, said students can come to this event to unwind. “We are really excited about this show, because it features two comedians that are staples among college campuses while also having recognition from popular television shows,” Teeter said. “This event is a great way to connect with other students who love comedy while de-stressing and relaxing after
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The SOS event will have its check-in at Corbett Soccer Stadium. Site Leaders will need to be there at 6:45 a.m., and participants need to be there at 7:30 a.m. Since the first 1,500 spots get filled quickly, it is crucial for participants to get there on time. Other tips include wearing
closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing, carrying a bottle of sunscreen and a bottle of water. A small breakfast will be provided, and there will also be a picnic outside Corbett Soccer Stadium after all the volunteers have returned to campus.
the first week of classes.” Bulls Nite Out, hosted by CAB, usually happens on Friday nights throughout the semester and features a variety of events. The CAB offer alternatives to club and parties for students to participate in. According to Teeter, events like this one have a lasting impact on students here at USF. “For comedy events, students on the Campus Activities Board do a lot of
research on who is trending in the comedy world,” Teeter said. “At the event, students can get information on upcoming events the Center for Student Involvement will be putting on throughout the semester to help create memories during their time here at USF.” Doors will open around 7:45 p.m., while popcorn and drinks will be handed out 30 minutes before the show.
CROSSWORD
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Full-time File Clerk Full time file clerk needed for busy law firm. Qualified applicants are organized, detail oriented, possess a professional appearance and have the ability to operate general office equipment, identify documents, and file. Must be able to work Monday through Friday 8am-4:30 pm or 9:00am-5:30 pm. Please email resume to tampa.jobs@rissman.com and reference “File Clerk”. Email tampa.jobs@rissman.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS Rock Stars Wanted Hooters of Brandon is looking for cooks and busseres with great attitudes and great work ethic. Full or part time. Email bucngatorkirk@aol.com
SERVICES OFFERED Models needed. Text 240-676-5863 #beautiful_disaster_images
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The Rundown Women’s basketball downs Temple 89-73
USF’s women’s basketball team beat the Owls 89-73. THE ORACLE/CHAVELI GUZMAN
Maria Jespersen scored over 20 points for the 5th time this season as USF (13-4) beat Temple (9-6) 89-73 at McGonigle Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The win brought USF to 3-1 in the AAC, with its lone conference loss coming against UConn on Sunday. Kitja Laksa led the Bulls in scoring with 29 points, while reeling in 6 rebounds against the Owls. Laksa nearly broke the USF record for career 30-point games as she is currently tied with Wanda Guyton for the program lead with nine 30-point games a piece. In Sunday’s game against the Huskies, Laksa had been shut out for just the second time in her career, scoring no points on 11 shots. Laura Ferreira added 12 points and freshman Alba Prieto scored in double digits for the second time as a Bull with 10 points The Bulls will return to action on Sunday at home against UCF (11-6). Tip off will be at noon.
Sports
Dear, Big 12: It’s time to give USF and UCF a serious look UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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By Josh Fiallo S P O R T S
E D I T O R
Consider the following, Big 12, the War on I-4 could be all yours. The epic game that captivated the nation on Black Friday, with UCF coming out on top 49-42, could have belonged to you. The eyes of the 4.642 million viewers who watched the game, which was more than both Texas versus Texas Tech and West Virginia versus Oklahoma, could’ve been fixated on two Big 12 teams — with the conference’s signature roman numeral “12” gleaming on every jersey. It can be yours. It should be yours. Whenever you receive Florida Representative Robert Olszewski’s recommendation letter, dated Jan. 10, to add both UCF and USF to the conference, I hope you consider its contents seriously — for your sake. “I am reaching out to ask that you please keep both the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the University of South Florida (USF) at the top of mind when your member institutions consider expansion in the Big 12 Conference,” Olszewski, who represents West Orange County, said in the letter. “More than ever during this college football season, we saw how important television ratings are to bowl games, the conferences and the College Football Playoff.” Olszewski, who graduated from both UCF and USF, has a point. “With UCF and USF representing the greater Central
USF Football is 6-8 all time against all current Big 12 opponents, including a win over Texas Tech on Dec. 23 in the Birmingham Bowl. THE ORACLE/CHAVELI GUZMAN Florida and Tampa Bay media markets,” Olszewski said. “Our annual “War on I-4” was one of the top television rated games this season en route to a 13 and 10-win season respectively for the UCF Knights and USF Bulls as well as both with top 25 final rankings. “There is no question the passion and revenue their respective alumni bases across the country would bring to the Big 12 by having two conference members in Florida.” The success, highlighted by UCF’s perfect 2017 season and two New Year’s Six bowl game wins, is there. Against current Big 12 opponents in bowl games, USF and UCF are a combined 2-0. In 2017, the two teams went a combined 4-0 against Power-5 conference foes. With the money, resources and appeal of being in a Power5 conference, the schools, and
indirectly, the Big 12 would be able to secure coveted Florida recruits that would typically go to SEC, ACC, PAC-12 or Big 10 programs. The media markets, Tampa/ St. Petersburg/Sarasota (No. 11) and Orlando/Daytona Beach/ Melbourne (No. 18) are far larger than those of Manhattan, Kansas (Kansas State) or Ames, Iowa (Iowa State). Even if attendance for both schools aren’t the same as a typical Texas, Oklahoma or Oklahoma State home game, the ability to extend the Big 12 brand and TV revenue should be enough to add the schools. Look at the Big Ten, for example. Maryland, Illinois and Rutgers football aren’t exactly selling out the house — or even coming close, for that matter. Does the Big 10 care? No, because they can say that they’re in the Champaign/ Springfield/Decatur, New York/
New Jersey and Baltimore/DC television markets. It’s a win-win for both the conference and schools. The Big 12 gets more exposure and extends its brand into the southeast. For USF and UCF, its programs and fans get the extra resources they both need and deserve. If Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby needs any help with the transition of adding the schools, there’s a certain Florida politician who’d love to help. “If there is anything that I can do to help facilitate any discussions for UCF and USF, or promote the greater Central Florida and Tampa Bay regions in our great state of Florida, please do not hesitate to reach out,” Olszewski said. “Thank you again Commissioner Bowlsby for your time, as I look forward to seeing you again soon.”