The Collegian -- Published Nov. 6, 2015

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thecollegian Issue 5 • Friday, Nov. 6, 2015 • deltacollegian.net

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Working students hope minimum wage hike will help

INSIDE

BY MEGAN MAXEY & SARAH AGEE deltacollegian@gmail.com

Cheating, a life style choice PAGE 3

Writers’ Guild hosts semi-annual Book Swap PAGE 4

New research shows processed meat can increase cancer risk BY BRANDON GARCIA brdnorange@gmail.com

Womens’ waterpolo ends season strong PAGE 7

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What are your family’s traditional Thanksgiving foods and what are you thankful for? Tell us by using #socialcollegian for a spot on the front page next issue.

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The United States is a nation of meat eaters. You name it, we eat it. Processed meats like sausage, bacon and ham are nearly universal favorites. So favorite that according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Americans rank second in the world for consumption of meat at 201 pounds per person a year. Recently the International Agency for Research on Cancer announced that eating processed meats definitely increases incidence of colorectal cancer by 18 percent and have labeled them as a Class 1 carcinogen. Processed meats consist of meats that have been modified through salting, curing, smoking or fermentation to enhance its flavor or lengthen shelf life. “For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” said Dr. Kurt Straif, head of the IARC Monographs Programme, in a press release. “In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.”

This isn’t fresh news to the American Cancer Society since it has recommended eating less meat and living a more healthy lifestyle since 2002. People locally are also not surprised by the recent announcement. “The fact that people are just now bringing to light the effects of red meat, processed meat products and foods on the body is very behind the times,” said Amanda Lozano from the San Joaquin Certified Farmers Market. She predicts this is good news for her and the farmers who sell downtown and at the Weberstown Mall markets. “This will affect my market in a positive way, more veggie seeking and alternative protein seeking customers can find all they need. Fresh produce, freshly made soy products, tofu, fresh wild caught fish and rice products,” said Lozano. Despite the recent news, not everybody is taking it seriously. “There are a lot of things I can control when it comes to eating but I just don’t think I can give up bacon,” said Mike Johnson, of Stockton. According to BaconToday.com, Americans eat 17.9 pounds of bacon per year. “Everybody loves bacon,” said Johnson.

Too many of us know the struggle of having to work while attending school. There are only so many hours in the day. Working students must find time to attend and pay attention in class, complete homework assignments, study for upcoming exams, be on time and perform well at work, stay healthy and try to get a good night’s sleep. Many do all this only to wake up and do it all again the next day. “[Living on your own] forces you to mature and take responsibility. Mom isn’t there to do your laundry or cook you food or help you when you’re sick. You have to get up, clean, buy your own food, which is where I spend most of my money… It’s not a party, it’s a step closer to being an adult in the real world,” said Baili Kurtz, a Delta student who recently moved out of her parents’ household. It’s hard to find many students these days on Delta’s campus that aren’t working part-time or full-time. Students seem to be looked at as super heroes if they work and go to school but do they have another option? The minimum wage in San Joaquin county is currently $9 an hour. In January, it will increase to $10. This action was taken in hopes of helping those of us who are trying to support ourselves while only receiving minimum wage. Some think that this action will do the opposite. “I think minimum wage rising is just going to cause a domino effect of people’s hours getting cut and prices of everything else rising. Minimum wage jobs were made as a stepping-stone to a career. Flipping burgers was never made to be a job to support a family,” said Kurtz. Students are going to school for a higher education in hopes of eventually landing higher paying jobs so they aren’t stuck in the minimum wage jobs. The minimum wage now isn’t enough to support someone attending school part time or full time. Having to pay for rent, utilities, car, gas, classes, and books it’s hard to imagine someone being able to afford anything on $9 an hour, being part time or full time and maintaining an acceptable grade-point average. “It can be feasible to live off $9 if you manage your expenses correctly but it would still be difficult,” said Isai Ramirez, a Delta student who works part time at Blaze Pizza in Tracy. It’s not only about living paycheck to paycheck.

See WAGES, Page 8


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