THE BG NEWS
Light as a feather Alumnus Bill Auld makes people fly for a living. Check out a story on him and his career in PULSE on Page 3.
ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Friday, November 8, 2013
Volume 93, Issue 33
Student novelist seeks break
VACCINE ROULETTE
Self-published novels on Amazon sell 20 copies each By Alex Alusheff Managing Editor
To make it in the writing world, senior Jamee Crosby would become the person she never wanted to be. With two books self-published in late October, Crosby found there are more challenges an author has than just writer’s block. “Self-publishing is easier than I thought,” said Crosby, a middle childhood education major. “But how will people hear about it and how do I get people to buy it— that’s where I’m at. I need a following and to become social media famous.” The only problem is, Crosby hates Facebook. But she is willing to make a page just for her books. “The self publisher has to be very active in social media to find readers,” said Lawrence Coates, professor of creative writing. “You’ve got to be blogging, on Facebook and make sure you’re online a lot to create buzz about your work.” Crosby’s two books, titled “Where To Turn,” and “Finding Lauren,” available on Amazon, are coming of age stories where the main characters discover who they are. “Where To Turn” focuses on an aspiring author in New York who finds love and whose work gets accidentally discovered. She later finds things aren’t as peachy as they seem. “Finding Lauren” deals with a college graduate who moves back home unwillingly. In search of herself, the main character, Lauren, works odd jobs from waitress to stripper and has an affair with her shrink. “I write what I know, I write what I fear and I write what I think will be interesting,” Crosby said of her subject matter. “Finding Lauren” explores Crosby’s fear of moving back home. “It’s a serious topic,” she said. “While Lauren’s life is hilarious, it’s about taking things in stride and to keep a sense of humor.”
Though flu season off to slow start, shots are available throughout city, but benefits of immunizations debated
Quick facts about the flu vaccine ■■Vaccine
manufacturers estimate 138-145 million doses of influenza vaccine will be produced for the U.S. market this season.
■■Traditional
flu vaccines are made to protect against three different flu viruses (trivalent).
■■This
season quadrivalent flu vaccines also are available.
■■Standard
dose trivalent shots are manufactured using virus grown in eggs. These are approved for people ages 6 months and older.
Information according to the Center for Disease Control
See NOVELIST | Page 8
Advanced degree in popular culture unique University houses only masters program in country By William Channell Reporter
The University offers the only popular culture graduate program in the U.S. Founded in 1973, the program is as old as the entire pop culture department itself. The two-year Master of Arts program doesn’t just focus on media, television and film, said Marilyn Motz, professor and coordinator of the graduate program. “We also study other aspects of everyday life and expres-
Clash of the birds
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sive practices of everyday life,” Motz said. “Things that people do that are not elite culture but are also not mass-produced.” Motz said people generally think of popular culture as only encompassing film, television, music and media, but in fact there are many more facets of popular culture. “[Popular culture a lso encompasses] holidays, recreational activities and various sorts of creative practices that people do that are artis-
The BG men’s basketball team starts its regular season this Saturday, Nov. 9 as it hosts Division III member Earlham College at the Stroh Center | PAGE 3
See CULTURE | Page 2
By Abby Welsh News Editor
Many health professionals recommend seasonal influenza vaccines as a preventive measure. But are they necessary? “The flu changes every year, leaving one at risk if they do not receive the shot in a timely manner,” said Faith Yingling, director of Wellness. “It’s important to protect yourself against it.” But when Ariella Centlivre received the flu shot years ago, she decided that she was more at risk with the shot. “I have never been more sick in my life,” said Centlivre, a senior. After getting the shot, Centlivre had symptoms resulting in strep throat and the flu. It was because the shot she received had the active virus in it in order to allow her body to know what the sickness was. “I can just remember the pain that I went through of not being able to swallow and spitting into a cup for a whole day until my mom took me back to the doctor,” she said. This was not the first time Centlivre got sick from receiving the shot. Her mother told her she needed to get the shot each year, but Centlivre finally had enough. “I saw a pattern,” she explained. “I told my mom that I always get sick around the same time, which happened to be right after getting the shot.” Because the vaccines now have updated medicine, students may get sick from the shot because they were already exposed to the flu prior to getting it, said Deb Busdeker, director of the Falcon Health Center.
“This is where confusion kicks in,” Busdeker said. The medication in the shots are not injecting people with the active virus like some may think, but instead an immunity covering four different types of viruses. “The shot does not go into effect until two weeks after receiving it,” Busdeker said. There are two ways students can get the vaccine: the shot and nasal spray. Yingling said that there may be mild side-effects for both types of injections. The nasal spray, which is sprayed into the nostrils, may make people feel as though they are catching a cold. The shot, which is typically given on the arm, may cause achiness, a tender arm, or flu symptoms. “I used to give my daughter a Tylenol before so it would relieve that pain later,” Busdeker said. Even though the option of nasal spray is out there, Centlivre is still not convinced there would be a difference if she got it this year. “To this day, I am still scarred from the memories of being so sick,” she said. “I just save myself a shot.” Years later Centlivre still got extremely sick, but this time, without having received the vaccine. “Yes, I still got sick but it was months after I would have gotten the shot anyway,” she said. When students get the shot, it lasts for one to two years for a reason. The flu peaks around two times a year: January-February and April-May, Yingling said. Because students at universities are around one
See SHOTS | Page 2
CVS opens location near campus, downtown By Jodi Abazoski Reporter
The pharmacy chain CVS opened its doors to Bowling Green residents this October after six months of construction. The drug store, located on the corner of South Prospect and East Wooster, will provide students with convenient access to necessary everyday items, said Doug Greek, store manager. Some of these items can be found under brightly colored signs covering the walls of the store, displaying different sections like beer, beauty, food and health. CVS also provides access to prescription medication with a full indoor pharmacy and drive-thru window. The store welcomes students who are new customers to their pharmacy
as well as those who already frequent another store, Greek said. “At BG, there are a lot of students who come from places like Cleveland, where they already have a CVS prescription,” he said, “It will be easier for them.” Sophomore Danielle Hall said she didn’t realize how excited she was about having the new pharmacy in town until she saw it finally open. “In Cleveland, we have CVS and Rite Aid right there, but while living here I haven’t always been able to get out to Walmart or Kroger,” she said. “This is walking distance for me because I live at Founders.” The CVS will eventually offer what they call a “minute clinic,” which will provide minor and inexpensive health services. “Sometime early in 2014 the minute clinic will open and there will be
Broad Horizons
Columnist Chance Stoodt explores how college classes eventually hinder educational growth. He argues new methods are more effective. | PAGE 4
a nurse physician in the store,” Greek said. “We will take insurance, but you don’t have to have it.” Lori Tretter, Bowling Green assistant municipal administrator, spoke for the city and said they are not worried about the drug store giant compromising the character of the downtown area that it is so close to. The new building will actually improve the look of the “busy corridor,” she said. The buildings that were in the lot before CVS had been vacant for years. “It is a new construction, but we feel they’ve done a great job making it fit into the neighborhood,” she said. “The landscaping is nice, and it’s set back from the street a little so there is a large grassy area in front.” Tretter said the “walkability factor” is what makes CVS an asset to
See CVS | Page 8
WHAt is your opinion about flu shots? “I don’t get them because I have an impeccable immune system.” Daniel Robb Senior, Accounting and finance