volume #77, issue 7
monday, november 30, 2015
UR IEW V
Delta student ’s threat leads to arrest
Even h eal er s can be hunters
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Page 4
Invasion of the sugar substitute
Animals are not gif t s to give
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holiday cheer lights up saginaw
Members of Pit and Balcony Theater sing a collection of Christmas carols as part of the Holidays in the Heart of the City celebration in downtown Saginaw. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
View the extended gallery online at www.DeltaCollegiate.com
Cold weather puts freeze on crime gabrielle martin Whether you like it or not, winter is around the corner. Donald Pussehl, Chief of Police for Saginaw Township, says that a drop in crime might be around the corner too. “As a police department, we tend to see a bit of a slowdown in criminal activity during the winter months,” says Pussehl. He explains that one reason for this could be quite obvious – the cold weather. Lower temperatures often mean snow, which can make footprints from a crime easier for police to follow. “We’ve caught some thieves that way,” says Pussehl. “The officers followed their footprints and finally caught up with them.” Pussehl suggests another – perhaps not so obvious – reason for the decrease in crime. “Juveniles are back in school and maybe have less idle time on their hands to think about getting into trouble. We see less juvenile crime during the winter.” Juvenile crimes, he explains, include larceny from motor vehicles. What happens is teenagers walk through neighborhoods looking for unlocked cars, then they take smaller objects such as money, phones or GPS devices. That being said, Pussehl adds that there is an increase in purse snatching during the holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year’s). Delta student, Taylor Sochacki, 20, says he’s not too surprised to hear that. “With everyone being close together in a shopping mall, it would make it easier for someone… to grab someone else’s purse.” Pussehl adds that thieves tend to think people – especially women – will carry more money with them during the holidays.
cameron kerkau
DCGabrielleM “I would recommend for a woman to try to carry as little as possible in [their] purse,” he advises. “It’s just so disheartening when – maybe from a senior citizen – they have irreplaceable items in there: photographs of grandchildren or personal items that are hard to recover.” Hailey Conley, 18, is a Delta student and an avid shopper – especially during the holidays. Conley says that she tries to take only the necessities with her when shopping: her phone, wallet and keys. “I don’t want anything stolen… If I have everything close to me, it makes me feel more comfortable.” Pussehl says thieves are just typically looking for cash or perhaps credit cards; often times, the police can search the surrounding area and find that the purse was dropped in a dumpster or someplace similar. He also has advice on how to keep gifts safe in your car this winter. “We encourage citizens as they’re out shopping to place items... in the trunk – out of sight, out of mind – so that if someone is walking through a parking lot, they don’t see a lot of gifts or purchases in the back seat and try to break a window or force their way into the car.” Dennis Li 22, Saginaw
What is something you believe you bring to a friendship?
Volunteers get warm and fuzzy
A reliable person that you can talk to. Like, if you have any problems, you can talk to me, I can help you sort it out. Logic, that’s what’s in [my brain].
During the winter months, it’s common for people to warm their car up in the morning before leaving. Pussehl says that, if you’re going to do this, you should lock your car to prevent theft. In addition, don’t leave your car running while you make a quick run into the store - it’s actually a crime. Finally, the biggest piece of advice Pussehl has for citizens – not just through the winter months, but always – is “to be observant.”
Samuel Jackson 19, Bay City There’s going to be people in the world who wait for someone to make plans and depend on other people, or there’s the kind of person who when they want to do something texts every single person in their phone and they have an idea of what they want to do and I’m that kind of person.
Maya Angelou once said, “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” This December, Delta students will have a chance to give. The Greater Delta College Community and the Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Great Lakes Bay Region are presenting Delta College’s Third Annual Blanket Project. The CAN Council is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the region. English professor Sharon Bernthal has taken her classes to the CAN Council for community service for years. There, Bernthal and her students would donate the essentials like toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. They are always trying to find new ways to help out. “I wanted to find more ways to give a tangible thank you to the CAN Council when I realized that I had some fleece left over that I would use to make blankets. I mentioned this to Catherine Martinez (the Community Outreach Specialist) and she said to me, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every child who has a CASA could get a blanket for the Christmas party,’ ” says Bernthal. A CASA is a court appointed special advocate trained to support the best interests of children who have been neglected and abused. During the first blanket project, 80 blankets were made for children with assigned advocates. The following year over 90 blankets were provided. “Giving CASAs the tools to do their job makes you feel like you’re on their team. They’re the real heroes here,” Bernthal says. The Third Annual Blanket Project will take place at Delta on Dec. 1 and 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in room N014. Volunteers are invited to come together to create, purchase or donate a blanket to a child in need. “Students can participate in the event and/or they can shop the sales for fleece and even make the blankets ahead of time. Have fun with it by making it a date night or a family project,” Bernthal suggests. Children with a CASA vary in age, so a variety of blanket styles are encouraged. Bernthal can speak from first hand experience about how fulfilling it is to give. “These children are whisked away from their homes with very little,” she says. “It has a huge impact on them to have their own possession that they chose. They have such a hard history that anytime you can let them just be children is amazing.”
Jake High 30, Midland
Insight. I tend to be observant and so it depends on the person.
Tyisha Darden 29, Saginaw What I bring to a friendship is honesty. I wouldn’t want anyone to sugar coat anything with me. I’d rather have the blunt, honest truth and I’m not going to judge them for it and they shouldn’t judge anyone for anything.
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news
Delta College receives grant from state for sexual assault prevention gabrielle martin
Transgender activist, and English professor, Charin Davenport talks with students during the Transgender Day of Remembrance event. Davenport says Unison organized the event to honor transgender people who were murdered in the last year and to raise awareness of the issues facing those in the transgender community. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
Compassion on campus
Transgender victims of violence memorialized by students cameron kerkau The Lecture Theater was darkened on Wednesday, Nov. 18, in honor of the 26 transgender women that are known to have been murdered since last November. According to Charin Davenport, an adjunct English instructor and transgender woman, more than half of the 26 women were misgendered in the press. This habit of misgendering and misidentifying, says Davenport, is likely the reason that there are no known murder victims that were transgender men in the past year. Davenport believes that correctly identifying transgender people is an important part of accepting the community. “By misgendering them, we are denying them their actual existence. We’re saying ‘No you aren’t who you thought you were, you are this person even in death.’ It’s beyond offensive, it’s demeaning, it’s dehumanizing and it’s denying them the dignity of their own identity in life and in death,” says Davenport. This event was held in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance which is typically held on Nov. 20. Inside the theater, students and faculty were given the opportunity to learn about the victims as well as the transgender community. The Delta student group Unison was responsible for organizing this event. Unison hopes to amplify the voices of the LGBT community. They meet every Monday at 5 p.m. in A035. “It’s not just a pity party where we talk about our problems,” says Samuel Jackson, a sophomore art and design major and Unison member. “We’re learning about the lives of our fellow LGBT members, where otherwise we wouldn’t have that opportunity because a lot of LGBT spaces are hyper-sexualized and Unison offers a place where we can talk to each other as people.” Unison consists of LGBT community members
as well as their allies. “I come here to support my LGBT friends and I always have fun at the meetings,” says Shanen Ziegler, a freshman and Unison member. Poster boards lit by candlelight welcomed the public to learn more about the lives of these women as well as facts and statistics concerning the transgender community. These posters were fashioned by Delta students in each of the three classes taught by Davenport. Freshman Madison Becker, graphic design major, and Charlotte Ombry, agriculture major, are two such students that worked together on this assignment. “I think that projects like these open students eyes,” says Becker. Ombry agrees, “It pushes them to learn about things they wouldn’t have researched on their own.” One board cited the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, that included 175 respondents from Michigan. According to the board, 23 percent of Michigan respondents became homeless because of their gender identity and expression, 52 percent reported attempting suicide, 84 percent experienced harassment in the workplace and 34 percent had lost their job. The names of the victims were read aloud over a microphone every hour as an effort to recognize the victims not only by their gender but also by their chosen name. “Many of us go through life being misgendered and oftentimes being misnamed by those who refuse to accept us for who we are. When that kind of disregard for someone’s life extends past their life, we think that’s an atrocity. So we honor them by saying their name,” says Davenport.
English class hopes to level up writing skill of students dominic arthur A discussion about video games is coming to the English Division, but not in the way you’d expect. This winter semester, three English 112 courses will offer students the opportunity to write about and critically discuss video games. The course is instructed by part-time action/adventure gamer and adjunct instructor of English, Vince Locke. “I’ve been a gamer most of my life,” says Locke. Students planning to sign up for the course can expect a lot of inclass discussion. The assignments – essays, reviews, evaluations and proposals – will be centered not only on video games, but gaming culture as a whole. Timothy Szymanski, a Delta student, believes the class could be successful depending on how it’s executed. “If it’s more showing how you apply English to that field, and break it down to that subject, it’s good,” says Szymanski. Locke says you’ll learn argumentation, research and rhetoric. The only difference between his course and the typical English 112 is that students don’t earn grades, they earn experience points that move them along in the class.
Locke and other English instructors are given a lot of leeway in the way they approach their courses, as long as it corresponds with the English Division and college’s course outcomes and objectives. “When I first tested the theme back in 2012, I told the [English] division chair at the time, Ray Lacina, ‘Hey, I want to approach this class on video games,’ and he said, ‘Sure.’ He was down with it,” Locke laughs. He says there have been times when students came into his course believing they didn’t know much about video games. “Everyone games to some extent – even if it’s just mobile games or being on Facebook or even... Pac-Man back in the day. People have that frame of reference. They end up learning quite a lot about games that – perhaps – they didn’t already know.” Locke jokingly says that his course is founded on video games because he wants to ensure his employment. “I was looking for an angle on marketing my class so it didn’t get canceled [due to] lack of enrollment. Going with games was something that I enjoy, and something that I know quite a bit about.”
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In the past, Locke’s students have told him that because of the course they were able to bond with family members who are gamers. “I’ve had generations of families come into my classroom. I’ve taught their parents then the following semester the kids [came] in.” Delta student, Gavin Whalen, says the course won’t flop because the video game industry is growing. “It looks pretty good to me. With that, [gaming] journalism is also going to blow up, and that’s pretty big as it is,” says Whalen. In the winter semester, section WN315 will meet Mondays from 6:30 - 9:25 p.m.; WN183 will meet Tuesdays from 2 - 4:55 p.m.; and WN136 will meet Fridays from 9 - 11:55 a.m. For more information, contact Locke at vincelocke@delta.edu or the English Division office at english@delta.edu.
Delta College is one of 22 colleges in the state of Michigan to receive funding from the state’s Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program. Out of the $500,000 that was split between the 22 schools, Delta College was awarded $28,850. Schools had to apply and propose a plan in order to receive these funds. Some campuses proposed training for campus officials and students, others proposed funding for drink coasters that change color if the drink has been tampered with. Delta College will use the funds to host a campus-wide competition. Students will create video scripts that cover one of three topics: consent, risk reduction or bystander intervention. The scripts will then be critiqued by the Underground Railroad of Saginaw, Bay Area Women’s Shelter of Bay City, Shelter House in Midland, Robert Battinkoff - Delta’s police chief and Loyce Brown - Delta’s Title IX Coordinator. A winning script from each of the three categories will be chosen, and the winner will receive $500. The script will be made into an educational video that will go on Delta’s website, become part of student orientation and be available to the three area women’s shelters, local high schools and any other group who would like them. For this project, Delta received more money than Ferris State University, Michigan State University and University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. “They were looking for something that was not traditional,” says Brown. “Maybe the fact that we were including our students in
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the development in everything and... because we show a true community collaborative effort; we brought in all 3 counties, we brought in the experts, which were the centers...I think our collaborative effort made it stand out.” All $28,850 will go toward this competition. Faculty advisors who help the students make the videos will be paid a stipend and the local women’s shelters will receive a stipend for their assistance. Students directing their scripts, the actors and crew making the videos will be paid as well. Delta student Tathin Schaub, 18, thinks this competition is a good way to inform people about sexual assault prevention. “It’s something fun,” he says. However, Delta student Melissa Reimus, 20, feels that - while the videos are a creative way to get information out - it’s not the best use of the funds Delta was given. “I feel like there are better things they could be putting the money towards than these little videos,” she says. She suggests using the money to form groups that would “get people who haven’t been sexually assaulted [to think about] what sexual assault and sexual harassment is.” Brown says that, while Delta has been fortunate enough to not have to deal with many cases of sexual assault on campus, it is important that we talk about consent and risk reduction - not just from a victim’s standpoint, but from a perpetrator’s standpoint as well. “I think ignorance gets some perpetrators in trouble,” she states. Brown says that we have almost become immune to the reality
and severity of sexual assault and harassment because we see it on television all of the time - and laugh at it! “By laughing at it, it makes people on some level think it’s ok when it’s going to get you in trouble. I mean, that’s the reality of it,” she says. “TV and movies might be a way to escape reality but they paint a false picture for us in terms of relationships.” Brown says that bystander intervention is also important when it comes to sexual assault. She says that hopefully these videos - by students and for students - will have some good suggestions on how bystanders can intervene without feeling intrusive or nosey. “I think a lot of people have trouble with that,” says Schaub. “If someone was being sexually assaulted in front of me, I wouldn’t know what to do.” Reimus agrees that knowing how to deal with sexual assault as a bystander can be challenging and many struggle with how to act - sometimes they simply walk away. “If there are a lot of other people around, people pass off the responsibility,” she says. “Sometimes we’re thinking ‘that’s not my business,’ ” says Brown, “but when someone is sexually assaulted it kind of becomes all of our business [because] we don’t know if we will be the next one.” Advertising for the competition will begin Dec. 1, with scripts due Feb. 26. More information can be found at www.delta.edu/equity/projectsafe-campus.
An affair to remember
Chocolate and charity bring community together greg horner High-class food, gourmet chocolate and supporting a good cause – what more could a person ask for? On Thursday, Nov. 19 the Tri-Counties came together at the Horizons Conference Center, 6200 State St., Saginaw, to support the Delta College Foundation’s annual A Chocolate Affair. The purpose of the fundraiser is to raise money for the Foundation’s Possible Dream program, which has supported over 1,800 students from sixth through 12th grade since 1992. The program exposes students to a variety of cultural and educational opportunities. Students are nominated by their teachers and come from public and private schools throughout the Tri-County area. “This is everything for us,” says Dorian Phelps, coordinator of the Possible Dream program. “Our events for the dreamers are totally free and everything we do has to be funded and it’s not funded by the students. So, it’s funded by the generosity of the donors and sponsors here – our budget comes straight from the proceeds of this.” Phelps looks for activities in the region that will expand interest in academics and art. “I try to hit all the pathways - whether it’s college readiness, human services, art - and we do a lot with STEM,” says Phelps. “These kids, and I call them dreamers, are amazing and this program helps them stay focused and see the benefits of education.” The occasion allowed the students to thank sponsors for their support. Ryan Foley, from Birch Run High School, has been involved in the Possible Dream program for three years and is thankful for the activities he’s experienced. “I think it gives lower-income students, whose parents don’t make a lot of money, opportunities to do things that they wouldn’t be able to do on their own,” says Foley. “I got to go see some plays, and I got to go to a science class this summer. It was a lot fun and I’m really happy I went.” Bob Rathbun, executive vice president and COO of Chemical Bank, has been attending A Chocolate Affair for over a decade. Chemical Bank has been a major sponsor of the benefit for over 10 years and Rathbun is happy to see people from Bay, Saginaw and Midland county come together to support students. “It’s a great opportunity for young students to look at what their future might be and to work toward that as they go through school,” says Rathbun. “I just love talking with people from all the communities and supporting this fantastic event.” Sponsors were treated to a buffet of delicious food provided by the Horizons Conference Center. The menu included stuffed mushrooms, butternut squash ravioli and chicken marsala bites, just to name a few. The desserts were provided by three bakeries in the Tri-County area: Petit 4 Pastry in Essexville, Pâttisserie
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A Chocolate Affair is a fundraiser put on by the Delta College Foundation for its Possible Dream program. The program seeks to help and encourage underprivileged sixth through 12th graders to stay in school and plan for college. (Delta Collegiate/Megan Escamilla)
in Saginaw and the VanillaBean BakeShop LLC in Midland. Attendees were free to roam around the conference center and marvel at the chocolate creations on display; once their eyes were satisfied, volunteers cut up the treats and passed them along to the guests. Jim and Terry Wolohan of Wolohan Enterprises in Saginaw have been supporting and attending A Chocolate Affair for many years. While they love the chocolate, their favorite part of the event is supporting a good cause. “It’s a wonderful way to reach out to children in their formative years and really give them a little extra help in terms of education, social development and cultural exposure,” says Jim Wolohan. Terry Wolohan agrees with her husband and is happy to see Delta reach out to support young students. “I think it’s really nice that Delta has this kind of visibility, it’s good for the college and it’s good for the people in the area to see Delta College in this type of venue.” Mike and Sheila Hanisko sold tickets for the event and served as this year’s Bay County honorary ticket chairs. For them, the highlight of the night is meeting the people who are affected by their donations. “We knew about the program… but to meet some of the kids firsthand and to hear about their stories was incredibly touching,” says Mike Hanisko. Mikayla Burtch has been in the Possible Dream program for four years. As a dreamer she’s seen circus shows, gone sailing and has received scholarships to a variety of summer camps. She was happy to see the number of people who turned out to support students such as herself. “With all the experiences that I’ve had I can’t wait to get to know the sponsors, learn about their lives and ask them why they support this great program,” says Burtch. “I want to thank them for giving students as great an opportunity as this.”
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Delta student’s threat of violence on social media app leads to arrest by FBI
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marisa loranger “I’m going to shoot every black person I can on campus. Starting tomorrow morning,” is the message that Delta student Emmanuel D. Bowden posted recently on the social media app Yik Yak. The app allows its users to post things anonymously to other people within a 1.5 mile radius. Bowden was a full-time Delta College student in his first semester. Lieutenant Robert Battinkoff, Delta College Public Safety director explains, “Social media is one of those grey areas where [there is] some kind of privacy expectation, but it’s not really as private as some people treat it. You’re really throwing a lot of that information out there publicly, and I think that’s one of the big cautions to take out of this.” On Nov. 13 at 1:30 a.m., 21-year-old Bowden posted his plans on Yik Yak and an hour later retracted his statement. On Yik Yak, Bowden explains “Its [sic] a joke,” “I’m black,” “I was going to give it an hour to see how you all would react,” and “Right. I could be angry and just expressing myself lol.” Bowden was arrested on Saginaw Valley State University’s campus the next morning by the FBI. Delta College was not involved in the arrest of Bowden. Bowden is one of 13 Delta students currently living on SVSU’s campus. He is jailed on two cases, one for threat of terrorism and the other for credit card incidents. The credit card occurrence was unrelated to the threat and law officers were unaware of Bowden’s relationship to the case until after his arrest. Bond is set at $10,000 for the Yik Yak case and $4,500 for the credit card incidents. According to Battinkoff, Delta Public Safety has looked into screening social media. They believe that by checking social
media, they can keep the school safer. “I think it’s one of longer term plans we look at for making sure we’re a safe campus, is to at least consider doing something like keyword searches. If something like ‘bomb’ were to be in conjunction with ‘Delta College,’ I think it would be important for Public Safety to be aware of that, and to react.” When users sign up for Yik Yak, they agree to terms such as disclosing personal information and app activity. Yik Yak has been very cooperative with similar investigations. When people’s lives may be in danger, they willingly turn over evidence, according to Yik Yak’s terms and services. “By the time they had identified [that] the subject they were interested in was a Delta student, they already had him in custody,” explains Battinkoff. Delta College student Rachelle Restainer was shocked to hear of the threat. “It’s kind of scary. It’s kind of bold for him to say things like that because Delta has such a diverse community, so it’s just really weird,” explains Restainer. If students are worried about their safety, Public Safety is always available to talk to. “If there is anything that makes you concerned -- you can even report anonymously if you go on Public Safety’s website -- let us know about and we’ll look into it. We all have the same goal: everybody here wants to have a safe experience and go home at the end of the day,” explains Battinkoff. To access the Silent Witness form visit www.delta.edu/ publicsafety/report.
Yik Yak: The bathroom stall of our generation Harper skrzypczak
OPINION
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f you enter a rundown public restroom you’re likely to find a variety of things scribbled on the stall walls: profanity, propositions for sex, crude penis jokes, drug references, breakup stories and maybe a joke or two. If you download the app Yik Yak you’ll find the same lowbrow rantings. Yik Yak, created in 2013, is a social media app that lets users send anonymous posts. The app shares those posts with other users in a 1.5 mile radius. Users in your radius can view, comment on and upvote or downvote your post. Other features of Yik Yak include: Yakarma, a numerical score that determines the “success” of a user by calculating their upvotes, downvotes and comments; Peek, which lets users look at, but not vote on, Yik Yak feeds that are not in their radius; a Hot tab, which shows the most popular posts of the past hour; My Herd, which lets users set a single geographic location as a base camp and allows them to post to their “herd” even while away; and
a Photos feature, which lets users post photos as long as it doesn’t include inappropriate/ illegal content or faces. The first time I downloaded Yik Yak was over a year ago. The most disappointing aspect of the app was how few users there are in my local area. Clearly, the app hasn’t quite caught on around here. Although the posts were mildly entertaining to read I got tired of the drug deals, hookup requests and anonymous shit talking after a day or two. With so few users in the area, I was stuck looking at the same posts because new content wasn’t happening fast enough - so I deleted it. In October I went to a media conference in Austin, Texas and because the event was sponsored by Yik Yak I decided to give it another try. Yik Yak in Austin was vastly different. Because of the denser population and array of colleges in the area there was always new posts to view. It included all the
typical bathroom stall rantings, but it also had a better sense of community. Users alerted others of traffic incidents, cancelled classes and open basketball courts where they could get a quick game in. After my trip I gave my local “herd” another try, but the content and amount of users hasn’t changed too much. The only significant thing I’ve noticed in the last year is an increase in threats, empty or not, on Yik Yak. The app seems to be in the news a lot lately for violent threats, racists remarks, etc. Maybe users don’t understand that their geolocation, which they provide to Yik Yak, is traceable or they are so completely unaware of our police state that they think impromptu threats will go unnoticed. For now, I’m deleting Yik Yak - it doesn’t provide me with anything I haven’t already seen before.
Scheduled Activities MondaY Dec
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11:00 - 1:00 Cybersecurity hacking demo/ Virtual reality/ Raspberry Pi Commons
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Free Microsoft Office Certification Testing* K-111
QR code scavenger hunt K-Wing
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8:00 Noon Friday
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Free PC Clinic K-110
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4:00 - 6:00 Free Microsoft Office Certification Testing* K-111
4:00 - 6:00 Free Microsoft Office Certification Testing* K-111
3:30 - 5:30 Hour of Code K-Wing Student Lounge
*Due to computer availability, please RSVP to Connie Barber at ckbarber @delta.edu for the Microsoft Testing session you would like to attend.
Delta looks to demystify the path to the future matt brown Techies on campus hope you’re hungry for code, cardboard and raspberry pi. Delta College is hosting a series of free events from Dec. 7 - 11 honoring Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek). This annual program is dedicated to inspiring students to take interest in computer science. “It’s time to move us into the 21st century,” says Connie Barber, assistant professor of Computer Science and Information Technology. “For business, you’re still going to have computers. Though we have all these tablets, to be really efficient you’re going to need to know how to use a desktop computer.” CSEdWeek centers around the Hour of Code global initiative. According to Code.org, “One-hour tutorials are available in over 40 languages,” with “No experience needed. Ages 4 to 104.” The mission is to demystify code and computer programming. “We need to revamp [logic courses] because [Code.org is] predicting 1.4 million programming jobs by 2020 and a million person gap of qualified programmers to fill those jobs,” says Barber. “I think we are driving students away from programming by sticking them in this logic course and they are seeing that it is just boring -- and it’s not boring! There’s a lot of new, visual platforms and software you can use now to create your code.” Kicking off the events on campus, and acting as an introduction to the computer science based technology found at Delta, is a QR code scavenger hunt. The search begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, and ends at noon on Friday. “You’ll see on the door -- or wherever it is -- another QR code that takes you to the end where you’ll fill out a Google
DCMattBrown form with your answers,” says Barber. “We’re going to give away a giftcard to the bookstore, and it will be something substantial -- like $25.” Free Microsoft Office certification will also be available every day, except Tuesday. “This is a $135 value, and they’re letting me do it for free for a week,” says Barber. The tests center around Office 2013, as the 2016 version of the tests won’t be available until this summer. Barber explains, “It’s a hands-on test. You’re given 50 minutes to complete a project, and they tell you what to do. You perform the steps, submit it and it tells you right then and there if you’ve passed. It is only pass or fail, so there is no inbetween.” If you pass, you will receive a certification logo that can be embedded into your resume, and students may take as many tests as they want (based on computer availability). Newer technologies, such as Raspberry Pi and Google’s virtual reality software, Cardboard, will also be demonstrated. Raspberry Pi is a low cost, creditcard sized computer. It’s capable of doing everything you’d expect a desktop computer to do. Cardboard is a literal cardboard-craft kit used to make virtual reality goggles when paired with a smartphone. Additionally, the Computer Club students will be hosting the PC Clinic on Friday. Diagnostics and repair may take up to two to three hours, and will be provided for the first 15 computers. “We want to show kids what is out there, and what might be coming and how exciting computer science is,” says Barber. “We hope that students will realize that -- even if they’re not going into computer science -- that it is important in every career.”
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#collegiatelife
pioneer PROFILE By Katie Bell
Nursing student displays that even healers can be hunters View an extended gallery online at www.DeltaCollegiate.com
From left to right: brother Brady Eimers, friend Leah Parnicky, and Breck Eimers pose in front of their kills. (Delta Collegiate/Katie Bell)
At 24 years old, Breck Eimers, a nursing student at Davenport University, can still remember every detail of the first time she went out deer hunting with her father, Paul. It was early morning and very dark when they headed into the 20 acres of woods her parents own. They arrived at one of many ground blinds placed throughout the land. This particular blind is a small, yellow metal box covered in camouflage and fake grass, with a small window cut out in the front. It was made for one, but they sat two. Here they waited patiently for the sun to rise and the deer to appear. “My dad said I could shoot whatever I wanted, so the first doe that walked in I was like ‘Do you want me to shoot it? It’s a girl deer!’ ” recalls Eimers, “He told me ‘that’s alright, you can shoot a girl deer.’ ” Right as Eimers was about to shoot, she hesitated. She mentioned how cute the deer was and that she was unsure of her ability to kill it. Her father immediately reassured her, reminding her that this was something she had been wanting to do. “ ‘Just shoot it,’ he told me,” says Eimers. There at age 12, Eimers shot her first deer with a gun.
“Once I shot the deer, I got buck fever,” recalls Eimers, “Every hunter can tell you about it. Basically, you shoot a deer and you can’t stop shaking and the adrenaline rush gets yah. I was so excited; I think I even started crying. It was just a rush, and I still get that feeling whenever I shoot something.” It’s easy to become a hunter in the state of Michigan. In order to receive a hunting license, you have to take a hunter education or hunter safety course unless you were born before Jan. 1, 1960. Eimer’s took her training at Field and Stream, in Saginaw, which offers a full day of courses that is required by Michigan law. The courses cover law and ethics with hunting and proper gun handling; once completed would-be hunters must then pass the traditional education exam. “I believe I only got one wrong on the whole test, so I was pretty proud of myself with that,” says Eimers. Before a hunter can head into the woods to shoot a deer, they are required to purchase a hunter license and tags. “To shoot a buck you can either get an individual buck tag or you can get a combo, which I usually get,”
explains Eimers, “the combo includes a restricted tag, which is for bucks with four horns on one side or more, the general which is any size buck, and a doe tag.” You can acquire multiple doe tags, but Eimers typically just sticks to the one. Her family normally doesn’t need the extra meat. Plus, from late October to mid-November, deer are in their rut – so bucks are chasing does. The Eimers family like to ease off hunting doe during this time, hoping to have the does bring the bucks in. With more seasoned hunters, like Eimers’ dad and brother, Brady, they also tend to get pickier with which deer they actually kill. Both tend to shoot nothing smaller than an eight-point -- referring to the number of points on the deer’s antlers. Eimers is becoming a seasoned hunter herself; she has shot a lot of spikes (a deer with unbranched antlers), four points and smaller deer. The Eimers family is also big on deer management; they believe it’s important to let the small bucks grow bigger for seasons to come, instead of killing them right away. Eimers says that young bucks tend to have more tender and better tasting meat, but her family still prefers to let the younger ones mature. At age 16, Eimers decided to take up bow hunting. At the time, she was just starting to develop confidence with her gun and wanted to experience something new. Though, she was worried about not being strong enough to pull the bow back and not having enough weight behind it to kill the deer. Eimers didn’t kill her first deer with a bow until she was 21. The journey to that point was extremely frustrating and it made her question her hunting career. “I wounded a few deer and after every one I said I was done hunting,” Eimers states. “I just felt terrible because there was now a deer running around that has an injury because of me and I felt guilty.” Eimers has only lost one deer in her gun-hunting career, it was injured and she couldn’t find it. She’s also had two clean misses where the deer had no injury. With bowhunting, she has lost several. “I don’t want to make an animal suffer; that’s the last thing I want to do,” says Eimers. “Some people think hunters are animal haters and I am far from that. I have respect for what I’m killing, I have respect for the animal.” Eimers takes great pride in her training. She tries to make it a point to get out once a month and shoot her bow. Eimers has incorporated different workouts in her gym routine to strengthen her chest and back. This will help her pull the bow back quietly without strain. “I take a lot more pride with shooting a deer with a bow -- not that I don’t take pride with shooting a deer with a gun,” states Eimers, “It’s just a lot more exciting when I shoot deer with a bow. I haven’t had nearly the luck or outcome with a bow and there is just
more technique with shooting a bow. A gun is a lot more deadly than a bow is and it has a lot more power behind it, so to shoot a deer with a bow requires more focus and practice.” Eimers’ biggest hunting accomplishment took place during the 2010 hunting season. She shot a four-point buck with her muzzleloader (single-shot rifle) and about a hour and a half later, she shot another eight-point buck. “I shot [the four-point] and it dropped. I decided to wait till dark, in case I maybe would get lucky and see another. Plus, I also didn’t want to scare the deer for the other hunters in the woods,” recalls Eimers, “So I waited and then the eight-point showed up. I shot him.” She couldn’t believe she’d ever be so lucky to get two deer in one night, but she was. It was also the first time she reloaded her muzzleloader. Up to that point, her father did it for her -- but after a quick phone call, she figured it out. Eimers waited till her father and older brother finished their hunt and the three of them brought the bucks back to deer camp, the Eimers’ family home. During opening weekend for gun season, 10-15 people arrive at deer camp to hunt, eat and socialize. She finds great support in her family, especially her brother, who is always pushing her to practice more and become the best hunter she can be. “I take a lot of pride in [hunting] because you do have to practice. It’s like any sport – you have to practice to get better. So when you do well, like today when I got my deer and everyone’s like ‘good shot, good shot’ I know that practice paid off.”
Breck Eimers stands on her family’s propert y where she hunts. (Delta Collegiate/Katie Bell)
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 MoN
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Familiar Faces by Marcia Henne
Andersen Enrichment Center, Saginaw 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: Free
Fragmenta Exhibition
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, SVSU 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: Free Santa Visits Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth 10 - 11:30 a.m., 1 - 4 p.m., 5:30 - 7 p.m. Cost: Free
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Blood Drive
Main Hallway and E-Wing Student Lounge 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: Free
Microsoft Office Certification Testing K111 4 - 6 p.m. Cost: Free
“Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer The Musical”
The Dow Event Center, Saginaw 7 p.m. Cost: Visit doweventcenter.com for prices
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Holiday Arts and
tHU
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Hollyday Art Fair
Crafts Show Delta College Main Campus 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: Free
Andersen Enrichment Center, Saginaw 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: Free
Blanket Making Party
Women’s Basketball vs. Kellogg Community College
N012 2 - 4 p.m. Cost: Free
Poinsettia Display
Dow Gardens, Midland 9 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Cost: $5 for adults / $1 for students / $10 annual passes / Kids five and under free
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Cybersecurity Hacking Demo
Commons Mezzanine 11 a.m. - Noon Cost: Free
Virtual Reality: Raspberry Pi demo
Pioneer Gym 5 p.m. Cost: $5
A Clear Blue Morning Concert
SVSU 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free
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Microsoft Office Certification Testing K111 4 - 6 p.m. Cost: Free
Wildlife Viewing Area at Night
Commons Mezzanine 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cost: Free
Chippewa Nature Center, Midland 7 - 8 p.m. Cost: Free
Poinsettia Display
Christmas on the Home Front: 1940’s Radio Show
Dow Gardens, Midland 9 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Cost: $5 for adults / $1 for students / $10 annual passes / Kids five and under free
SVSU 7:30 p.m. Cost: $13 general admission / $10 students and senior citizens (60+)
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Free and Confidential HIV Testing
Counseling and Advising, D-102 1 - 3 p.m. Cost: Free
Blanket Making Party N012 2 - 4 p.m. Cost: Free
Men’s Basketball vs. Siena Heights
Pioneer Gym 7 p.m. Cost: $5
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Microsoft Office Certification Testing K111 8 a.m. - Noon Cost: Free
Virtual Reality: Raspberry Pi demo
Commons Mezzanine 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cost: Free
Hour of Code
K-wing Student Lounge 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Cost: Free
Sat
4
Free PC Clinic
SUN
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“Nutcracker”
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“Nutcracker”
K110 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Cost: Free
Midland Center for the Arts 7:30 p.m. Cost: Visit mcfta.org for prices
Midland Center for the Arts 7:30 p.m. Cost: Visit mcfta.org for prices
“Nutcracker”
“It’s A Wonderful Life”
“It’s A Wonderful Life”
“A Tuna Christmas”
“A Tuna Christmas”
Midland Center for the Arts 7:30 p.m. Cost: Visit mcfta.org for prices
“It’s A Wonderful Life” Pit & Balcony, Saginaw 8 p.m. Cost: $20
Pit & Balcony, Saginaw 8 p.m. Cost: $20 Bay City Players 8 p.m. Cost: $20
Pit & Balcony, Saginaw 8 p.m. Cost: $20 Bay City Players 8 p.m. Cost: $20
“A Tuna Christmas”
Bay City Players 8 p.m. Cost: $20
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Microsoft Office Certification Testing K111 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Cost: Free
Free PC Clinic
K110 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Cost: Free
Women’s and Men’s Basketball
Pioneer Gym 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Cost: $5
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Women’s Basketball vs. Lansing Community College
Pioneer Gym 3:30 p.m. Cost: $5
Men’s Basketball vs. Rochester
Pioneer Gym 5:30 p.m. Cost: $5
Poinsettia Display
Dow Gardens, Midland 9 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Cost: $5 for adults / $1 for students / $10 annual passes / Kids five and under free
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Creating a Bird Friendly Yard
Chippewa Nature Center, Midland 2 - 3 p.m. Cost: Free
“It’s a Wonderful Life”
State Theatre, Bay City 1 p.m. Cost: Food or cash donation
“Let it Snow”
Planetarium, Bay City 2 p.m. Cost: $7 for adults / $5 Delta students, children 3-18, military and seniors 60 and over
monday, november 30, 2015 / www.deltacollegiate.com
arts/entertainment
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“Master of None”: Master of Netflix sammi schenkel
FILM FLACK
WITH SKRZYPCZAK
The odds are in their favor “We all have one enemy! And that’s President Snow!”
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isclaimer: I haven’t seen any of the other Hunger Games movies prior to viewing “Mockingjay: Part II.” When the first films were released, I was swamped with other media. Besides, “Harry Potter” was (and still is) the quintessential young-adult series, so who needs another? I read the first book way back when it came out; I had a rough time with it at first - it was the whole annual tournament to the death for children thing. Though, the angsty child in me, who loves the idea of massive fighting tournaments, was all for it. Having said all that, diving into the last one first, I feel rather bad particularly because I really enjoyed the film. The one constant I’ve heard about the films (about all her films) is the quality of Jennifer Lawrence’s performance, and man, is she great. There really are a lot of people I like in this movie: I’ve always been a fan of the Sutherlands, and while this isn’t Donald's best role, it is still
memorable. Woody Harrelson, Natalie Dormer, Stanley Tucci and the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman all hold their own. The production is pretty solid throughout. A good deal of CGI is used, but it isn’t downright terrible or cheesy. The one glaring issue I have is the choppy editing during one sequence in particular, which follows a group in some sewers. It is very intense, reminiscent of “Aliens,” but there’s a lack of grace during these scenes. I have more details in the spoiler section, if you dare. Like I said in the beginning, I’ve only read the first book so I can’t be the judge of how close it sticks to the source. What I can say is that having gone in with little knowledge, I’m more interested in seeing the whole picture from the beginning. Spoiler Alert: Obviously, having not seen the other films, there were periods where I was completely confused. I would suggest you maybe watch the others first, or read the books. For instance, and I’m not sure if they’re in the books (or at least
portrayed in it in a different way) but in the aforementioned sewer sequence there are these eyeless zombie things. Do they infect with their bite? They were clearly ravenous--I’m really not sure what to call them other than eyeless zombies. Whatever, they were not my main issue. We are clearly shown one of Katniss’ (Lawrence) squad members getting snuffed by the creatures, followed by an even bigger swarm chasing the rest of her team. For what seemed like forever we only see like three characters and I assumed like half the cast had died, which seemed like a really strange decision. A few minutes later there is this ridiculously climactic fight in this hub area where a lone ladder stands reaching to the surface-and suddenly, seemingly everyone else is back fighting. It didn’t feel like this was done on purpose, but it was so jarring I was pulled out of the movie’s magic.
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OPINION
any know Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford in “Parks and Recreation” and as a comic with a variety of stand-up specials. Recently, Ansari released his new show “Master of None” which he stars in, writes and sometimes directs. The show centers around Dev, a 30-something Indian-American actor in New York City. The audience gets to watch Dev navigate life, parents, relationships and the world. From the first episode I was hooked. Ansari has created a funny cast including: Arnold played by Eric Wareheim of “Tim & Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job!”; his best friend Brian played by Kelvin Yu, a writer on “Bob’s Burgers”; and Denise, his lesbian friend played by Lena Waithe of “Bones.” Everyone in this series is topnotch; I can’t wait to see who will show up in future seasons. Every single episode was done so well, I can’t think of major fixes. “Master of None” hits so many subjects that everyone can relate to including dating, friends who have kids, aging parents, chasing your dreams, feminism and marriage to name a few. Every episode portrays each subject honestly, and through comedy Ansari shows what it takes to be a decent human being. Ansari also does something that I don’t see done very well or often: he includes modern technology in every episode. He also keeps his cast and story full of diverse characters with new points of view. One of the best parts of this show is that it reminds me of conversations I’ve had with friends, just funnier. Another aspect that I love is Ansari’s perspective as an Indian-American in the entertainment industry and the difficulties he’s had to face in order to prove himself. Multiple times throughout the show he calls out the media industry for perpetuating racist stereotypes. The only thing I can critique about this wonderful new show is that sometimes the points felt too forced. They could have been written to be smoother, but he’s done great so far. I can’t wait to see where the next season takes Dev.
Let the games begin -- I’m hungry for more!
Photo courtesy Netflix
By Peter Skrzypczak
The time was noir: the top 10 films from 1941 to 1950
1 2 3 4 5 6
Citizen Kane (1941) Dir. Orson Welles, Rated PG, 1h 59m
Controversial. Pioneering. Classic. All words that have been used to describe this movie. Whether it’s stuck with you or the mainstream there is no denying the impact this movie had - on the industry and Orson himself. “A toast, Jedediah: to love on my own terms.”
Casablanca (1942) Dir. Michael Curtiz, Rated PG, 1h 42m
This is one of the most quoted movies of all time. Chances are you’ve heard one of them before, or at the very least a misquote.
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”
Bambi (1942) Dir. David Hand, Rated G, 1h 10m
When you look at all of Disney’s animated films, you’ll instantly recognize what decade they were made in, and I think that lends some charm to the cartoons. This, like so many of the others, is a classic. “Man was in the forest.”
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943) Dir. Roy William Neil, Unrated, 1h 14m
BAM! Now they’re in the same frame together fighting and whatnot! Classic horror monsters are on screen and now they’re meeting up to fight one another. Featuring Bela Lugosi of “Dracula” as the monster and Lon Chaney Jr. reprising his role of the Wolfman. “He is not insane. He simply wants to die.”
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) Dir. Frank Capra, Unrated, 1h 58m
It’s a dark comedy based on the stage play of the same name. The film even has actors from the play reprise their roles for the screen. The plot revolves around two elderly sisters who poison lonely old bachelors as a “very bad habit.” “Look, I probably should have told you this before but you see… well… insanity runs in my family… it practically gallops.”
Laura (1944) Dir. Otto Preminger, Unrated, 1h 28m
The film was met with mixed reviews on release. Roger Ebert remarked on it being absurd and improbable but a good noir altogether. The film follows a detective as he falls for the woman whose case he is working. “I don’t use a pen. I write with a goose quill dipped in venom.”
Illustration by De’Asia Brown
7 8 9 10
Spellbound (1945) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, Unrated, 1h 51m
This is one of Hitchcock’s earlier films. It’s a noir mystery that follows Ingrid Bergman as Dr. Constance Petersen and Gregory Peck as Dr. Anthony Edwards. There’s even a haunting dream sequence which is designed by Salvador Dali.
“My dear girl, you can not keep bumping your head against reality and saying it is not there.”
Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948) Dir. Charles Barton, Rated PG, 1h 23m
BAM--again! This time comedians have joined the monster battle. This shows that the classic horror monsters still had some life with the injection of the prolific comedians, Bud Abbot and Lou Costello.
“Young people making the most of life - while it lasts.”
Cinderella (1950) Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Rated G, 1h 20m
Disney continues to show itself as a powerhouse of animation. This was during the time when Disney used live action actors and sets as models for animation. “A dream is a wish your heart makes when you’re fast asleep.”
Annie Get Your Gun (1950) Dir. George Sidney, Unrated, 1h 47m
It’s a musical comedy loosely based on the iconic sharpshooter, Annie Oakley. Judy Garland was originally meant to play the titular role but was fired for her continuous absence throughout production. “Anything you can do, I can do better.”
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monday, november 30, 2015
LTH
By Jo r
www.deltacollegiate.com
health/sports
BUST H EA
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Cash dot com Fantasy sports are more than just a game
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da n R obert s
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EthanMooreDC
ethan moore
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Invasion of the sugar substitute There are few topics in nutrition that have been met with as much contention as the sweetener vs. sugar debate. NAS, or non-caloric/nutritive artificial sweeteners, have been used in a variety of products from beverages to toothpaste. Artificial sweeteners have been claimed to help with weight loss and blood sugar control because of their low calorie count and low glycemic index response compared to their sugar counterpart. According to the American Diabetes Association, “nonnutritive sweeteners may help reduce caloric intake, yield a few pounds of weight loss, and help prevent unwanted weight gain.” Popular sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine and sucralose appear to have a nominal effect on appetite for adults. “I think people who have diabetes would truly have a propensity to use [artificial sweeteners] thinking, ‘Ah, I’m not having sugar. I’m having something that’s not affecting me,’ but I think it is,” says Dr. James Finch, a diagnostic radiologist at McLaren Bay Region. Finch says he’s read studies that indicate “that those who drink one diet soda a day gain more weight than those who drink water; if you drink two, those people will gain more weight than those who drink just one.” The National Center for Biotechnology Information and the National Institute of Health state that sweeteners have an adverse effect on weight control and can influence an increase in an adult’s body mass index. “Several large scale prospective cohort studies found positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and weight gain. The San Antonio Heart Study examined 3,682 adults over a seven to eight year period in the 1980s,” states NCBI. The study’s results showed that 47 percent of the participants experienced an increase in their BMI. The
study determined that consuming 21 or more artificially sweetened beverages per week “was associated with almost-doubled risk of obesity among normal weight individuals,” compared to those that did not consume artificially sweetened beverages. While the ADA claims that “using non-nutritive sweeteners does not appear to affect blood glucose or lipids in adults with diabetes,” the NCBI states, “a sweet taste induces an insulin response, which causes blood sugar to be stored in tissues.” Finch likens this response to the possibility of overeating. “Your body somehow secretes insulin based on that, thinking it’s getting sugar - but doesn’t. So maybe your blood sugar goes down, therefore your body says, ‘I need food,’ in response to a non-calorie sweetness.” Another issue with sweeteners is that they may produce stronger cravings for sweets than sugar. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that “artificial sweeteners, precisely because they are sweet, encourage sugar craving and sugar dependence.” Finch says that consuming artificial sweeteners can create a craving for salty foods in addition to sugar. “I think they make me crave snack foods… like the salt and sweet thing. [If] I drink a diet Pepsi, my palette tastes sweet. My brain expects sweet and calories but it doesn’t get them.” The NLM indicates that repeated consumption will train a person’s palette for a flavor preference and that the more a person eats a particular flavor, especially a delicious one, the more they want the flavor to intensify. This becomes a problem when sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are 200 to 600 times sweeter than sugar. The NLM makes an interesting point that instead of using a sugar substitute that tastes sweeter than sugar, “unsweetening the world’s diet may be the key to reversing obesity,” and decreasing sugar cravings.
If you’ve been anywhere near a TV set over the past six months than you’ve most likely seen an advertisement for either FanDuel or DraftKings. These websites are promoting the newest addition to the fantasy sports world: daily fantasy sports leagues. Fantasy sports are often seen as that weird game that people play at work so they can have something else to do or talk about besides their actual job. The concept is that you pick players in whatever sport you’re following, then the players field performance determines your success. Normally these leagues are done in a year-long fashion and you’re in charge of regulating your team throughout the season -- eventually collecting what money was pooled together at the end of the year if you win the entire season. Jeff Karaba, a student at Delta College, enjoys playing daily fantasy as an alternative to traditional fantasy platforms. “I think it is extremely fun to try and look at matchups and guess who will do good that week,” says Karaba, “Another factor is the chance to win huge amounts of money on such small bets.” Daily fantasy sports have drastically changed the landscape of traditional fantasy leagues, as they are now allowing fans to commit to shorter lengths of time. They can pick a team that can last as long as a week, or as short as a night--starting all over again the next day. This allows for a greater volume of playing, especially for people who may have picked a bad team. However, this also allows for a quicker exchange of money, which has caused companies like FanDuel and DraftKings to find themselves in hot water with local governments. On Nov. 10, the New York attorney general ordered FanDuel and DraftKings to no longer accept money from players in the state of New York, citing that daily fantasy sports are gambling and not “games of skill” like the corporations’ claim. Both companies are currently fighting this decision in New York court rooms, but the ruling does raise an interesting question: what is the chance that you’ll win money on the sites? Recently, Ed Miller, who is an independent games consultant for Sports Business Daily, published a dataset showing how the top 1.3 percent of people who play daily fantasy sports are the ones receiving most of the revenue from the monetary contests. This 1.3 percent generates roughly a 27 percent return on investments, which means if they were to put in $200, they would win back approximately $254 in revenue. Now compare this with the roughly 80 percent of players who would be considered casual players, and who don’t bet egregious amounts of money. Those players statistically lose about $25 for for every $49 they put into the site. Similar to how online poker was set up (before it was ruled illegal gambling and was banned in most states) the majority of revenue is gained by the top percentage of people who have lots of experience -- or algorithms that aid them in picking their teams. Even Karaba admits that it’s tough to win as a casual player. “I have been playing FanDuel for about three months now,” explains Karaba. “I haven’t really been successful, so I don’t bet a lot.” This, coupled with the fact that New York Daily news reports state employees of FanDuel and DraftKings have been winning upward of $350,000 on rival sites, is concerning for casual player looking to have fun and maybe make a quick buck. Currently in Michigan, you are still allowed to freely play daily fantasy sports with no sort of regulation in place. These kinds of conditions can set up dangerous circumstances for people who don’t fully understand the risks of betting money, especially in cases where the chances of them winning is very slim. People who don’t believe that daily fantasy is gambling can get caught up in the excitement of the games, which can lead to many of the same health and life problems similar to normal gambling addiction. According to Rehab International’s gambling rehab guide, some of the risks include: increased stress, heart problems, relational issues and financial instability. If you or anyone you know plays daily fantasy, make sure they are doing so responsibly and in a self-regulated manner.
Michigan's gambling help hotline is 1-800-270-7117
' HUDDLE C ACHS Women of Delta College knock off Jackson in basketball
University Center, MI – The Delta women's basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Nov. 14 with a dominating performance that beat the visiting Jackson Community College squad on Nov. 18 by a score of 78-66. With the win, the Pioneers improve to 3-1 on the season while Jackson drops to 1-4. Delta jumped out to a quick start, taking a 17-10 lead after one quarter and extending it to an eight-point advantage by halftime, 35-27. Jenna Szostak led the charge offensively by scoring early and often for the Pioneers on route to a 20-point performance on six of 13 shots – including four of seven from the arc. "We made it a point to step up our defensive intensity and it showed holding Jackson to 10 points in the first quarter," says head coach Kelly Miller. "Then Jenna got going early and the offense opened up from there." Delta continued their hot shooting in the third quarter as they outscored the Jets by seven to take a 15-point lead into the final stanza. They were able to run out the clock in the fourth and ice the win from the free-throw line. Miller says, "We know that when we play a good defensive game we are capable to beat anyone. Our focus is controlling tempo by making teams play the pace we like and tonight we were able to do that." Nyashia Williams had another big game offensively for the green and white, netting 17 points and dishing out four assists. The freshman guard from Saginaw High is 17.3 points and 4.6 assists in the Pioneer's three wins this season. Jaydelynn Abenth also poured in 15 points and grabbed 10 boards while Kenisha Newsom added 11 points and 10 rebounds. -DeltaPioneers.com
Delta College’s Kenisha Newsom, 22, calls for someone T he L a dy Pioneers beat Jackson Com mu nit y College
to pass the ball 78 - 66 on Nov.
to
during the team’s second home game. 18. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
Turnovers plague Pioneers
Team has worst start in seven years after dropping fourth straight game EthanMooreDC
ethan moore The men’s basketball team came out for their second home game of the season looking for their first win against Jackson College. From the onset the Pioneers struggled to get a rhythm going offensively. They shot a poor 38 percent from the field and an abysmal 44 percent from the free-throw line. On defense one of the biggest killers for them was the 50 percent success rate that Jackson had from behind the threepoint marker. Coach McMath was critical of his team’s offensive performance after the game. “To improve the offense we must learn to attack more and stop settling for
jump shots,” explains McMath, “with that being said, some guys are inherently jump shooters so they must practice more on shooting.” Turnovers were a big problem early on for the team. The initial numbers of a 32-14 turnover ratio look bad on paper, however there were multiple instances in the game where the Pioneers turned the ball over. They were trying to steal the ball or get a tough defensive rebound, while these look bad in the box score, the coach had no qualms with these plays. “Some of those mental mistakes are guys losing focus and concentration in that moment,” says McMath, “but some are actually due to some hustle plays and
as a coach I can live with those type of mistakes.” The 82-69 score placed the Pioneers at an 0-4 start to the season which is their worst start in seven years. However, Coach McMath says the team is in good spirits and is not discouraged by their start. “The team knows that we play a very tough nonconference schedule season which molds us into a great team once conference season starts,” says McMath, “A season is based on peaks and valleys, but the way we respond to both will help us understand what type of team we are and will become.”
Delta College’s Jaydelynn Abenth, 11, looks for someone to pass to. Jackson College’s Kennedi Showerman, 21, guards her at the Lady Pioneer’s second home game of the season against Jackson College on Nov. 18. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
Monday, november 30, 2015
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opinion UR
VIEW
Assisted suicide
Animals are not gifts to give
“M
erry Christmas, here’s a cute little puppy! By the way, this gift is going to cost you between $500-$1000 this year!” The bundle of joy that is a new pet can bring a bundle of costs for the new owner that many people don’t think about before giving a pet as a gift. There’s the cost of spaying or neutering the animal, food, vaccinations, toys and much more. “Aunt Suzie is lonely, I should get her a kitten for Christmas!” While pets do make wonderful, loving companions, taking care of a one is a large responsibility. People should make the decision about whether or not they are able to care for a pet on their own - not have the responsibility thrust on them at Christmas. Aside from the everyday care of animals, pet owners also have to arrange their lives around their pets. Before you schedule a cruise, you have to make sure someone can check in on the cat. Were you planning on going out to the bar after your 12 hour work day? Well, you better make sure you can get home at some point to let the dog out. According to PawRescue.org, about 50 percent of holiday adoptees end up back at the shelter after Christmas, so make sure you are making the right choice if you give someone a pet as a gift. If you really want to give a pet as a gift, consider adopting rather than shopping. There are plenty of animals at shelters that need loving homes. Not only do you have the ability to make the person you are giving the pet to happy, you could make a lonely shelter animal happy as well. This Christmas we will surely be seeing countless videos on social media of people opening a box and finding an adorable little puppy or kitten with a red bow around its neck. Unfortunately, many of them will end up back at a shelter, so think twice before wrapping that darling puppy or kitten up as a gift. -By Gabrielle Martin
Why do we worship the tin man?
Dignified? Or bureaucratic nightmare? By Lindsey Schibelhut Many millennials may be too young want to live that way in their old age. to remember Michigan based doctor, One problem I have with the assisted Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian was put on suicide logic is, who determines what trial for helping at least 130 patients constitutes a “quality life”? This is die via assisted suicide. His court all a matter of opinion. While my case brought to light the struggle for grandfather can no longer care for patients to “die with dignity” in their himself, he is still capable of carrying final stages of life or people wanting on meaningful conversation, which will to alleviate other suffering. However, I be memories I’ll cherish long after he don’t feel assisted suicide is right, nor passes. do I feel that it’s as much about “dying Another consideration is medical with dignity” as it is a slippery slope tyranny. Will the ill, infirm and into medical tyranny. cognitively disabled be taken advantage The subject of assisted suicide of by bureaucrats, to be led down the was never on my radar until this past path of assisted suicide instead of being summer. During the clear-out process given life saving measures? of my grandparent’s home, a family While Kevorkian may have thought member of mine mentioned this topic. the “dignified death” was all the This family member thought that patient’s decision, I worry that an their father (my grandfather) who is 94 assisted suicide won’t be your decision isn’t living a quality life anymore. Since as much as it will be the doctor’s. grandpa is now wheelchair-bound (after Another concern I have is whether a hip break), has a catheter and only assisted suicide will be a choice only eats, sleeps and sits, does this mean this left for terminally ill patients or if stage of his life is irrelevant? My family it will be an option for anyone who member (who is vain and perpetually determines they are “suffering.” terrified of getting old) chooses not to So some people may not have taken The right decision isn’t always By Greg Horner The debate over assisted suicide isn’t just a moral argument, it’s a philosophical one as well. Do people have a right to control how they die? Is it better to die in agony if it preserves the sanctity of life? Our society has been dealing with these questions for some time, and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever find a satisfying answer. But for families dealing with terminal illness and the prospect of imminent death, the issue is far less abstract. I support physician-assisted suicide because I’ve seen loved ones suffer. I can’t tell you how terrible it is to witness a close relative’s lungs slowly fill with fluid while they die in delirious agony. It’s a terrible experience, and until you’ve witnessed it you might never understand why some people agree with me. There are those who feel that legalizing physician-assisted suicide is a slippery slope, that legalizing suicide
proper time to seek out professional help and really think through the decision of having someone assist their suicide. Could alternative treatments have been sought out such as therapy for instance? Finally, assisted suicide for me is a faith based issue as well. As a Christian I was always taught to believe suicide is wrong and that our bodies are not our own to do what we want with, we were bought with a price, by Jesus dying on the cross. The issue of assisted suicide is a heated one and - despite the alleged “positives” - there are just as many negatives which need to be addressed. I personally don’t believe killing yourself or having someone do it for you is the answer, no matter what stage of life you find yourself in. ALL life should be considered valid - even those who are coming to the end of theirs. To read Lindsey’s uncut opinion visit deltacollegiate.com
the easiest for the terminal could one day extend to the disabled and mentally ill. This is a faulty argument based on historical fears of euthanasia and state-sanctioned genocide. Unless we start seeing blackshirts goose-stepping in Times Square I don’t think that slippery slope argument holds water (and besides, we’d have bigger problems to worry about). As long as the illness is terminal and the physician and patient agree, I wholeheartedly believe that people should be able to control their own death. Damning a person to a slow painful death is cruel; sometimes the morally right decision isn’t always the easiest one to make. However, there is a caveat to all this. In order for physician-assisted suicide to be just, access to health care must be equitable and affordable to everyone regardless of class, race or creed. We still live in a country where people are bankrupted by medical bills, and the
prospect of a family having to choose between assisted suicide or financial ruin is a terrifying and dystopian thought. Physician-assisted suicide will only ever be appropriate once we as a society raise and tackle these difficult questions. Some states such as Oregon, California and Vermont have begun the conversation; but it will take the whole nation to deal with the ramifications of what assisted suicide means and how it can be implemented in a humane and equal way. I believe that one day we’ll live in a country where healthcare is universal. I believe that one day we will live in a country where physician-assisted suicide is accepted. At the end of the day, people should have the right to choose how they die because in reality it’s the only choice they’ll ever get to make.
Josie Dudek
OPINION
I
n a c ou nt r y p ower e d by we a lt h a nd fa me, it’s no su r p r is e t hat one of t he we a lt h iest men i n A mer ica, D ona ld Tr u mp, is r u n n i ng t o b e t he 45t h P r esid ent of t he U. S. Ta k i ng a lo ok at t h is ele ct ion’s p r esid ent ia l ca nd id at es, t he Republ ica n Pa r t y st a nd s out si nc e a nu mb er of t he ca nd id at es have a n a dva nt age t h r oug h t hei r money a nd p ower. My quest ion is, d id Tr u mp’s wel l-k now n p er sona g ive h i m a n upp er ha nd i n t he ele ct ion p ol ls? A mer ica n m e d ia ha s a way of t w ist i ng word s a nd st or ies t o f it exa ct ly what t hey wa nt t he publ ic t o he a r, but one t h i ng t hey ca n not cha nge is what Tr u mp h i m s el f says. H is most fa mous l i ne “You’r e f i r e d!” isn’t exa ct ly what I’d t h i n k wou ld mot ivat e t he A mer ica n publ ic t o vot e for h i m. D u r i ng t he f i r st G OP d ebat e, Tr u mp sa id t hat ye a r s ago he gave money t o big c or p or at ion s when t hey ca l le d h i m, so t hat ye a r s lat er he c ou ld g u a r a nt e e t hat t hey’d b e t her e for h i m i n h is t i me of ne e d - t h is ele ct ion. He ca l ls t h is a “br oken syst em,” yet st i l l us es it t o h is a dva nt age. O t he r ca nd id at es, such a s Ber n ie Sa nd er s, d id not get money f r om big c or p or at ion s t o g ive h i m c r e d ibi l it y. It’s qu it e appa l l i ng t o t h i n k t he nu mb er one Republ ica n ca nd id at e r ig ht now not on ly us e d h is fa me t o get h i m a he a d, but a lso h is money. It’s no s e c r et t hat t he me d ia
e a si ly p er su a d es t hei r aud ienc es t o b el ieve what t hey t el l t hem, so when t hey put a wel l-k now n publ ic f ig u r e up for ele ct ion, it’s e a sy t o p or t r ay h i m i n a p osit ive way, sp e ci f ica l ly t o t he upp er cla ss. T he t r ut h is, t he upp er cla ss is not who ca nd id at es shou ld b e app e a l i ng t o, but r at her t he m id d le a nd lower cla ss es. Pe ople l i ke what t hey a r e fa m i l ia r w it h a nd Tr u mp is t hat for m a ny A mer ica n s. Now, don’t get m e w r ong, t her e a r e p e ople who do k now what Tr u mp is t r u ly ab out, a nd ag r e e w it h h i m, but a lot of p e ople have b e en bl i nd e d by h is fa m e a nd h is clever m a n ipu lat ion of t he c om mon publ ic. So what do es t h is me a n for t he f ut u r e ele ct ion? P r obably not much. At t he end of t he d ay, most p e ople shou ld b e mor e e ducat e d on t hei r vot e t ha n just some one’s so cia l me d ia st at us. It’s mor e or less Tr u mp’s so cia l m e d ia fol low i ng t hat ha s g iven h i m a g r e at a mou nt of at t ent ion due t o h is e a si ly m a d e sat i r ica l c elebr it y st at us. You ng p e ople esp e cia l ly, ne e d t o b e sm a r t ab out who t hey a r e g iv i ng t hei r at t ent ion t o a nd who t hey a r e p ost i ng ab out on l i ne. It’s one t h i ng t o t a l k ab out Tr u mp i n a fa c et ious m a n ner, but when jokes get h i m fa r t her a he a d i n t he p ol ls t ha n who t he vot er s t r u ly wa nt t o w i n, t hat is wher e t he p r oblem a r is es.
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compassion or understanding anymore, only hatred and fascist rhetoric. Fascist may seem like a strong, faux-intellectual word, but I assure you the Let’s get real about the refugees description fits. Fascism is all about exploiting people’s fear to orgive me for suddenly strengthen one’s power, and the Republican party getting political in what’s has gotten so good at it that it’s practically become supposed to be a humor a plank of their party platform. column, but all the recent talk about the Syrian In truth, you should be more afraid of our refugees has driven me insane. You can’t turn on country than any foreign refugee. Where else are the TV or attend a Thanksgiving dinner without you going to get shot while walking to your classes, hearing someone say something horrible about the or by a police officer who pulled you over for a situation, and it’s time someone speak some sense. routine traffic stop? We do a better job of scaring Only a few weeks ago there was broad ourselves than any terrorist organization. I’m not consensus on how to treat these victims of war; afraid of Muslims from Syria, I’m afraid of white they should be welcomed into our country and people in Munger. afforded the right to live in safety with the freedom As a country we’ve always had a split to pursue their lives. But following the attacks personality. America is a nation created with in Paris, discussion has taken a turn toward the progressive ideals that clings to conservative xenophobic and stupid. instincts. The fear mongers have appealed to Presidential hopefuls, or as I call them the worst demons of our nature. Rather than Republican lunatics, have embraced the fear that embrace our history of immigration and (belated) lingers in the pit of the American subconscious. understanding, Trump and his ilk have embraced These candidates speak as if all Muslims are the legacy of Joseph McCarthy and Japanese terrorists -- as if the refugees are not something to internment camps. protect but something to fear. There’s no time for
INFORMERS CORNER
Wit h Greg Horner
F
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Only America could invade a Middle Eastern country under false pretenses, destabilize it for decades and then have a large portion of its population support going back for more. Terrorists don’t hates us for our freedoms, they hate us because we continually bomb them and ignore the consequences. Here’s a hard truth: we’re as responsible for the situation in Syria as ISIS, because we’re mostly responsible for ISIS, but we as a country will never own up to that responsibility. We should be welcoming refugees with open arms for no other reason than the collective shame and guilt we should feel for the past 50 years of American Middle Eastern relations. The refugees are not terrorists, they’re the terrorized - victims of extremism within and bombing from without. I can assure you that a fleet of drones is as terrifying as gunmen with Kalashnikov rifles. Let’s cut the crap. I’m sick of Americans falling on the right side of history only in hindsight. Let’s stand against our dark side and embrace the best that America has to offer. Let’s treat the refugees the same as we’ve treated immigrants throughout our history (which granted wasn’t very well) -- as people -- looking for a better opportunity and a chance for freedom.
Corrections Issue 6 - Nov. 16
Virtuoso mends mentally ill through music - The article should include that musician Vijay Gupta delivered his lecture at the Music of the Mind event at Saginaw Valley State University’s Malcom Field Theatre for Performing Arts on Oct. 26. A Chocolate Affair: Supporting at risk-youth can be sweet - The article misstated that the event took place Nov. 9 when it actually occured Nov. 19. Mary Harding’s correct job title is coordinator of special events and scholarships. The caption also misstated that the Possible Dream program helps eigth through 12th graders. The program actually helps sixth through 12th graders.
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