Spring 2015 Issue 3
Editor’s note
Hitting our stride.... Hello again, Seminole State! This is our third issue this season and it shows. The first couple issues are always full of learning experiences - well, actually ALL of our issues are full of learning experiences but especially those first couple. Now that the class is warming up, our writers can really hit their stride! Creating a paper is no small task and takes a surprising amount of work to do. It takes a few issues to get used to the pressure, learn how to hustle up good sources and crank out an article in time for deadline! This issue is a big one, and the stories inside cover a wide range of topics. In addition to fun things like Spring Break life and local artists, we also cover some pretty heavy stuff including being homeless and Net Neutrality. Our goal is to not only entertain the community of Seminole State but also present information that is relevant to students, faculty and staff. In order to keep doing that effectively, we need your help! If you have story ideas, have someone you think should be interviewed, want to give us feedback on a story or have something you’d like to get off your chest, please contact us at thescribe@seminolestate.edu or visit on social media! The Seminole Scribe is a paper made by students, for students and we need the participation of the entire student body to fulfill that goal! Thanks for reading,
Carl Barrett, Editor-in-Chief To read more about what our writers are learning each issue, visit us at theseminolescribe.wordpress.com
School spirit: The Moradian family - Oliver, Marjohn, David, Armon and friend Anthony at the Seminole State College Orlando Magic night. Professor Moradian teaches Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management.
THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE The Seminole Scribe is the official student newspaper of Seminole State College of Florida. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carl Barrett STAFF REPORTERS Kimberly Burns, Tiffany Castro, Keyla Exclusa, Ian Finnerty, Tia Gautreaux, Elliot Lee, Joseph Meadows, Lauren Seay, Alex Sylvia FACULTY ADVISER Jennifer Sheppard EDITORIAL POLICY Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Seminole Scribe or Seminole State College. Please limit letters to 500 words, and include phone number, name and area of study or affiliation. Letters will not be printed anonymously. We reserve the right to reject letters. MISSION STATEMENT We are a student-run newspaper that aims to construct a publication of professionalism. Through each individual staffer’s utmost potential, we write for the interest of the school and its student body to deliver a quality news and entertainment source that uphold traditional journalistic values. PUBLIC FORUM The Seminole Scribe is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. COPYRIGHT ©2015 The Seminole Scribe. All rights reserved. All content is property of The Seminole Scribe and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. CONTACT US thescribe@seminolestate.edu Twitter @seminolescribe
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On the cover: At the Seminole State College Orlando Magic Night on March 25 at the Amway Center in downtown Orlando.
Photo by Seminole State Communications Office
Net Neutrality nixed by Open Internet Order
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he possiblity of the internet no longer being open nearly became a reality but is now protected, thanks to The Open Internet Order issued recently by the Federal Communications Commission. The phrase “Network Neutrality” is a term that was coined in 2003 by Tim Wu, a Columbia University professor. According to the website of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization “dedicated to to defending civil liberties in a digital world,” Net Neutrality is the idea that all internet service providers, or ISPs, will “treat data that travels over their networks equally.” “I don’t think most people realize how important Net Neutrality is to the Internet as we know it,” Sean Hardison, a system administrator for a local company and former Seminole State student, said. According to Hardison, the “neutrality” of the Internet is what has made it the Internet “the place it is today.” Up until recently, he said, the ISPs have been forced to look at their web services as a “dumb pipe,” meaning that the quality of the connection should be the same, regardless of the target of the connection. This means that service providers are not able to control what flows through their servers. “It may seem like a dumb thing to worry about,” Hardison said, but he cautions that “The implications are far reaching. Imagine if Bright House could slow down Netflix and speed up its own streaming service, how long do you think Netflix could last then?”
By: Carl Barrett
limited customers using BitTorrent for legal purposes. After complaints from customers, the FCC took action against Comcast and then in 2010 issued The Open Internet Order, which strictly forbade the type of actions Comcast was taking as well as directing ISPs to not restrict or limit users. Verizon Communications Inc. immediately filed a suit against the FCC and eventually a federal appeals court struck down the Open Internet Order. According to the EFF website, the court was right to do so. Not only was the FCC order itself “deeply flawed,” the agency had also failed to demonstrate why it should have the authority to even impose the rules in the first place. Though flawed, the collapse of the Open Internet Order meant that there was nothing to stop the ISPs from completely disregarding Net Neutrality.
“Imagine if Bright House could slow down Netflix and speed up its own streaming service, how long do you think Netflix could last then?” - Sean
Trying to repair the damage of the failed order, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler suggested a possible compromise between the FCC and the ISPs allowing ISPs to charge customers extra for an “Internet fast lane.” According to the EFF, many believed that Chairman Wheeler’s proposal would undermine Net Neutrality, rather than protect it. Several petitions were filed and HBO host John Oliver encouraged his viewers to write into the FCC. According to the White House, more than four million people would eventually write the agency, with countless more using other methods to voice their discontent.
In response to the overwhelming response from the public, President Obama wrote an open letter to the FCC, describing Net Neutrality as “built into the fabric of the Internet since it’s creation,” and called on the FCC to “implement the strongest possible rules to protect Net Neutrality.”
Hardison
The Electronic Frontier Foundation in a statement on it’s website describes the Federal Communications Commission, the government agency tasked with the regulation of interstate communications, as the government body in charge of protecting Net Neutrality, but is also describes the FCC as having a “poor track record of defending Net Neutrality.” It was not always been clear though, that the FCC even has the power to enforce Net Neutrality, or that it should even try. The White House also has a Net Neutrality page, and it acknowledges that Net Neutrality has been a recognized goal of the Internet since it’s inception but also describes the difficulties that the FCC has had protecting it. In 2007, cable and Internet provider Comcast Corporation was caught intentionally disrupting the connections of customers using BitTorrent software. BitTorrent is commonly used in order to pirate copyrighted content and often uses up large amounts of bandwidth, Comcast’s manipulations made those things impossible, but it also
Listening to the President and the public, on February 26, 2015 the FCC issued a new Open Internet Order. A 300-page document that according to a press release, was designed to “protect free expression and innovation on the Internet.” The Order once again allows the FCC to enforce the principals behind Net Neutrality and the agency has found new legal justifications for this ability that it believes will be able to pass review by a federal appeals court. That belief is about to be challenged because Verizon has once again filed suit against the FCC, hoping to get The Open Internet Order struck down. Though the 2015 Open Internet Order was a victory to those who have campaigned for Net Neutrality, it seems the battle is not yet over. “The Internet doesn’t mean the same thing to ISPs that it does to us,” Hardison said. “To them, it’s about money. To us it’s about life.”
While you’re on campus...
Monday, April 27
Summer 2015 Open Enrollment Begins - All campuses 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 46th Juried Student Art Exhibit Sanford/Lake Mary, G-101 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Blood Drive - Altamonte Springs, Parking Lot 2 p.m. Baseball: Raiders vs. Lake Sumter Sanford/Lake Mary, Jack Pantelias Field
Tuesday, April 28
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Blood Drive Altamonte Springs, Parking Lot 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Seminole State Toastmasters Club, Sanford/Lake Mary, L-313 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Take a Break from Finals, Heathrow, Patio 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Band Concert, Sanford/Lake Mary, Fine Arts Concert Hall (G-118)
Thursday, April 30
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Altamonte Springs SGA Meeting Altamonte Springs, ALT-214
Friday, May 1
8 p.m. to 10 p.m. “Spring into Dance 2014” Theatre, Sanford/Lake Mary, G-123 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Planetarium: Central Florida Nights, Sanford/Lake Mary, Planetarium (B-117)
Saturday, May 2
8 p.m. -to10 p.m. “Spring into Dance 2014” Theatre, Sanford/Lake Mary, G-123 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Planetarium: Cretaceous Countdown, Sanford/Lake Mary, Planetarium (B-117) Noon to 2 p.m. Earth Day Event, SLM Student Center Green 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Spring into Dance 2014” Theatre, Sanford/Lake Mary, G-123
Monday, May 4
Financial Aid Application Deadline, All campuses Summer Full/A Application Deadline, All campuses 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 46th Juried Student Art Exhibit Sanford/Lake Mary, G-101
Tuesday, May 5
Spring 2015 Classes end, All campuses
For more events, visit: seminolestate.edu/newsroom/events/
Local artists making a mark T
By: Keyla Exclusa
he art scene in Central Florida has been lacking Iraq in 2005 after two tours, painting became my in past years but the support of local artists and salvation,” Gary Rothe, a local artist in the Sanford venues seems to be growing. area and Iraq Veteran, said.
Tattoo Co. thought of the idea to host an art scavenger hunt open to everyone in downtown Sanford. On April 4, he scattered 50 cans around the downtown Sanford area for the public to either keep the collected “Art is a vitally important necessity missing in In Downtown Orlando, murals, street art and graffiti can or turn it in for a raffle ticket. The rest of the event mainstream and everyday society,” Corinne Camacho, from local artists are scattered around the city. A local was held at the local Sanford bar The West End where a Seminole State student, said. “Art is a huge part artist by the alias of BoyKong is the man behind many the raffles earned a variety of prizes including art from of my life so I search for events in Orlando and I’m of these murals. A live painting by BoyKong was held Timmy himself. seeing more and more events popping up.” in Winter Park on March 8. Restaurants like PomPom’s Tea House and After the 2008 recession, budget cuts slashed through Recently local tattoo artis, Timmy Dub from Trinity Sandwicheria in Orlando and Meridian Hookah public schools to cope with the economic crisis with Lounge near the University of Central Florida also the majority of classes cut in fine arts. In fact, $2.1 showcase art from artists in the area and have their billion was cut from state education between 2008 and pieces on sale for the public. 2011, according to the state Education Department. This lack of appreciation for the arts from schools This patronage for the arts from businesses around trickles down into students and as they grow, fine arts Central Florida is alive and growing, and is helping to lose value and meaning. emphasize the importance of art in the community. Many people in the Central Florida area have been trying to keep the art scene alive by giving a voice to other artists in the area. “I’ve painted my whole life but once I came back from
Mural by local artist BoyKong in downtown Orlando.
“I love the vibe in places like PomPom’s,” Christian Figueroa, a Seminole State student, said. “Seeing local artists’ paintings and photography on display motivates me to keep taking pictures and to keep that energy around me.”
Student and future broadcaster gets first media pass for Orlando Magic game at Seminole State night
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Submitted by: Amber Wetherington
hen I arrived to the parking lot outside of the Amway Center, I just started walking around because I didn’t know where I was supposed to go to pick up my Media Pass. By a stroke of luck, I saw a sign for Media and VIP Entrance so I entered there. As a student at Seminole State College, the attendants at the table knew who I was and were expecting me. After I cleared the metal detector, I was given a Media Pass with my name and school on it, which gave me access to the Media Room, the pre-game press conference, a media seat at the game and the post-game conference.
Inside the Loge, I found a nice comfy chair at a desk reserved for media complete with touch-screen TVs and a telephone for each reporter. I noticed other reporters who were in the Media Room sitting down in front of their laptops getting ready to report on the game.
In the Media Room, I witnessed a group of men wearing nice suits and looking all professional eating at a table. The press were provided a meal including chicken, salad, pasta and ice cream for dessert. I waited at a table until it was time to go up to the press box and watch the Orlando Magic play against the Atlanta Hawks. I was a little too nervous to be hungry.
After the game, I went back down to the first floor where I got to witness the national media interviewing Atlanta’s Head Coach about the win, but by the time I found the press conference room, the Magic coach was finished talking to the media. “He doesn’t usually talk for long after a loss,” one of the video guys said when I arrived late.
I took the elevator along with three men who looked super important talking on walkie-talkies. On the fourth floor, I flashed my Media Pass again and found my way to the The Loge with the rest of the media.
Once the game started, since this was the first basketball game I had ever seen live, I was excited to watch the sport from such an important vantage point. The Magic had the lead up until the last 10 minutes when the Atlanta Hawks came back to take the win, 95-83.
Still, walking through the halls of the Amway Center wearing my Media Pass around my neck made me feel like I was important. I noticed several people staring at me and the pass as if I were some kind of celebrity. Needless to say, it was amazing and for the first time during my college
career, I was able to get hands-on experience of my future career as a sports broadcaster. t
Thanks to the Orlando Magic, my instructors in the Mobile Journalism (MoJo) course and Seminole State College. Follow Amber on Twitter @amber_nikole
Homeless in Sanford may be moving to Lake Mary
By: Tiffany Castro
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n the corner of Lake Mary Boulevard and 17-92, it is almost normal to come in contact with one of the many homeless people residing in the area asking for money to keep themselves alive. Many of the homeless population living in Sanford, however, could be moving to Lake Mary. “The police over there [in Sanford] are just getting too rough,” Steven King, a homeless man currently living in Lake Mary, said. According to the Department of Children and Families Office on Homelessness, in 2013 on any given night in Seminole County, there could be up to 842 homeless people. Nearly 75 percent live in Sanford. Eric Watson, an employee of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, said most of the time police are called for individual panhandling.
Homeless man David poses outside in downtown Sanford
ZERO PROMISE: A LEGACY OF THE COLD WAR
“Most of those people aren’t even aggressive,” Watson said. Most calls he said he receives are from mothers concerned for their children. ”It seems that more and more people are
Submitted by: Stefani Ceballos
The end of World War II was not just the end of a conflict - while the U.S., and the Soviet Union fought as allies during World War II. Their relationship was anything but amicable and an already tense alliance set in motion what became one of the central issues to a half-decade long era known as the Cold War. Borne from the Americans feared expansion of Russia into Europe, American officials encouraged the development of atomic weapons like those used to end World War II. This began the deadly “arms race.” In 1949, the Soviets tested an atom bomb of their own. In response, the U.S. announced that it would build an even more destructive atomic weapon: the hydrogen bomb, or “superbomb.” Stalin followed suit. During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear annihilation became a constant threat of many American’s everyday lives. The Cold War saw presidents that tried to adapt the use of diplomacy – also known as “detenté”. Other presidents, believed that communism anywhere potentially affected freedom everywhere. While President Regan fought communism throughout the world the Soviet Union was in a state of collapse. Economic problems and the rise to power of Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, in 1985 and introduced two policies that redefined Russia’s relationship to the rest
calling the police in an attempt to get rid of homelessness,” Watson said. Nancy Gibson, an employee at The Sharing Center in Sanford, a nonprofit organization that helps out the homeless, said she does not believe it is the responsibility of police officers to get people off the street but it is their responsibility to “keep people in line.” “It’s the community’s responsibility to help these people out,” Gibson said. At The Sharing Center, the homeless as well as families in transition are offered the opportunity for a free shower, haircut, access to get their laundry done and help with bus tickets as well as personal finance. The homeless population shift, although possibly not a pleasant sight, is not a major safety concern for those attending Seminole State. Maxine Oliver, Director of Campus Security at Seminole State, said, “It has not ever been a concern for us before with it being a public college. The police are usually called in any event regarding a potential camp.”
of the world: “glasnost,” or political openness, and “perestroika,” or economic reform. However, these policies proved to be too little and ineffective. November of 1989, Regan called for Gorbachev to tear down the most symbolic feature of the Cold War – the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Like the Berlin Wall, in 1991, the Soviet Union, so too fell – ending the Cold War. Another overwhelming reminder of the Cold War, that is not just a memory, is that of nuclear proliferation. Although the World Diplomatic Community has become more active in attempting to police those countries that have been identified as severe threats, should they acquire nuclear weapons. Given the difficulties in regulating these countries, there are many that believe that the only safe world is one that is free of the threat of nuclear warheads. Zero Promise is one such organization at Seminole State College that has joined the call for nuclear anti-proliferation.
Want to know more? Want to find out how you can get involved? When: Join us on April 17, 2015 Time: 6:30 p.m. Where: Altamonte Springs Campus Auditorium Join us for an evening of education, awareness and information on how YOU can make a difference! No Nukes! Know PEACE!
LET’S GO TO BOOT CAMP
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By: Kimberly Burns
eminole State College is making it possible for students, faculty and staff to avoid being a statistic by providing free boot camp exercise classes on campus. That’s because, according to stateofobesity. org, 34.9 percent of the United States population is obese. In addition to helping combat obesity, the classes offer positive support for those trying to change their lifestyle and lead a healthier life. Vanessa Dziedzic, instructs the bootcamp exercise class and said she understands how important it is to get in shape. Dziedzic was once a person who struggled with weight issues but not anymore. She said she decided that it was time for her to get healthy so after about a year of healthy eating and plenty of exercise, Dziedzic is now in the best shape of her life. “It is possible,” Dziedic said. Now that she has reached her goal, she is helping others reach theirs. “Let’s get motivated,” she said to the bootcamp class recently. The classes are athletic-based and intense but Dziedzic is there for her students every step of the way. At the begining of class, while Dziedic drank her Bang Power Punch Energy Drink, “a potent brain and body fuel,” she sent her students to run a lap around the Adult Education building on the Sanford /Lake Mary campus and laid out workout mats for the final exercise. As her students moaned and groaned and didn’t think it was possible to do anymore exercises, Dziedic kept her students motivated
From left to right: Gisela Vera, Aneishaii Smith, Vanessa Dziedzic
and coached them through the hour workout session. The students said they were pleased with themselves and vowed to come back the following week.
From left right: Debbie Bingham, Vanessa Dziedzic, Aneishaii Smith, Anne Wood, Gisela Vera
Looking at Dziedic, it’s hard to imagine that she once struggled with her weight in the past. She is fit, energetic and passionate about what she does. Looking at her before and after pictures on her weightless journey could motivate just about anyone. Aneishaii Smith, a student at Seminole State College, attended the bootcamp class and ran her third lap around the Adult Education Building. When she returned to the classroom, she saw that the instructor had laid out two blue workout mats for her and Gisela Vena, also a student at Seminole State College. Sounding surprised, Smith said, “Oh, Lord, I thought we were done.” Dripping with sweat, Smith pushed through the last exercise and she smiled before chugging down her bottle of water and wiping the sweat off of her brow. Even though the bootcamp was intense, Smith kept pushing through to the end. There are 30 slots available for the bootcamp group fitness classes but only three slots had been filled that day. “I wish more students were involved,” Smith said.
Gisela Vera, an Adult Education Specialist at Seminole State, said she has been coming to the bootcamp class since September of 2014. “Being that I am an employee, this is definitely a benefit,” Vera said. Vera sat up straight and crossed her legs. “Money wise, it’s a plus, because I don’t have to spend money on the class,” she said, adding that she isn’t in the class to lose weight but to stay in shape and maintain her strength. In addition to her opinion of the class, Vera said she would like other students to become apart of the class and take advantage of this opportunity. The dates and times for the free bootcamp classes can be found on the fitness and wellness link on the Seminole State College website. The classes are held in the Adult Education building every Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Artists show off at annual art festival
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few weeks ago, the 56th annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival made parking on Park Avenue nearly impossible to find as the festival, as usual, was very crowded with people, drink stands on nearly every corner and of course the sun’s blaring heat shining down. The music performances could be heard from several streets away while local law enforcement help the direct traffic and maintain order along with paramedics in case of an emergency. Inside, the festival planners took several measures to reduce car traffic around the area. In addition, the SunRail was free over the weekend making it easy for anyone to attend and there was also a bike valet to encourage more people to ride bicycles to the festival.
By: Elliot Lee “I will say, I’ve only started drawing about three years ago, so my technique has ridiculously improved in a sort amount of time. Because when I look at some of the work I was doing when I started verses the work I’ve been doing lately it’s like, the progression is just insane. So I would say technique-wise, work has vastly improved but also so has my subject matter… I’m getting a lot more imaginative with my work instead of just being so basic because when I started out it was just ‘what can I draw’ now it’s more like what can I draw into a story.”
The Winter Park festival has been called “Central Florida’s Best Festival,” by Orlando Magazine and draws more the 350,000 people every year, according to its website. This year’s festival was put together by a team of volunteers with the help of the city and featured more than 200 artists showcasing their work with artistic mediums ranging from drawings and paintings to fashion and sculptures.
What memorable responses have you had to your work? “I would say my favorite compliments are, ‘This is weird, I like that.’ Some people are just like, ‘very unusual. This is amazing.’ My favorite (that I hear people say is) ‘I’ve never seen anything like that before.’ And then sometimes you get stuff like, ‘Eww, skeletons,’ and that make me happy, too. Because you know I always kind of thought that if your art or your subject matter doesn’t evoke some kind of emotion, it’s not always a positive reaction, but as long as it evokes some kind of emotion because that’s what art is for…. Because to me this is beautiful, to me this is biological, but to some people it’s dark or spooky.”
There was over $72,000 across 63 awards for the show. The top three award winner had their pieces purchased by the city. The award for Best of Show went to photography artist Micheal Paul Cole for his piece “Cicadas Seven Year Confession.” The award purchase for the piece was $10,000 and it was donated to the city. The Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation “Art of Philanthropy” award went to photographer Marius Moore for his piece “For the Benefit of All Sentient Beings,” and was purchased for $5,000. The Morse Museum Award went to artist Robert Farrel for is metalwork piece “White Shed” along with $2,500 in award money. Many other awards were given and a full list of the winners can be viewed at the festival’s website.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? “Oh, dang. Umm, invest in yourself! That’s my best friend, and I was starting off and she’s an artist too and she does these things as well. I was starting off and I was super scared, and it was something small I think was just gonna buy the tent, and I thought to myself what if I buy this tent and never get into any shows…. And she just looked at me and said, ‘Invest in yourself. You’re talented. Take what your talent is worth put it in there and make it happen.’ And every time I tell myself, ‘Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t get this,’ I just say, ‘No, I’m totally gonna invest in myself,’ because I believe in my work so I put the money out there and do these shows, I travel, I get to do everything and I mean it works out every time, so yeah.”
This year, roughly 1,100 artists applied for entry and only 225 were selected for showcasing and most of the artist were not from Florida. On the first day of the event, several artists talked about their work and their experience with the festival. Eric Curry was one of the many artists showcasing his work. How are you enjoying the festival? “It’s good. Well, it’s hot. It’s really, really hot” Tell me about your artwork? “Basically, I was an organism biology major in college… and I loved but it just wasn’t right I just wasn’t there and I was like, ‘Well there’s four years of college down the drain,’ and for a while I bartended, which kinda was weird... and then all of a sudden art kinda just came out of nowhere. I just knew what I was supposed to do. I was just this biologist turned artist; basically I need to go to school to get the inspiration because the biology is the inspiration and just my knowledge in general. I mean, I could tell you the genus species names of anything that in here. So one day I just said, ‘Hey, Mom and Dad. You know how I went to school for biology? Well, I’m gonna be an artist.’” How has your work changed over time?
Background image by: Erin Curry
Between athleticism and affluency By: Alex Sylvia
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aren’t necessarily bad but that a physician should be contacted prior to use to see if they are even necessary.
But whatever the trendy supplement is this week, chances are that the rapid weight loss claims could be empty handed, overpriced, or not completely necessary.
Still there are those who believe in the theoretical benefits of supplementation. Fay Dipietro agreed that the products are not completely necessary but added that they can possibly accelerate progress.
aybe a low-fat or lowcarb diet wasn’t working. Maybe an actual cup of tea with lemon and cayenne pepper wasn’t ideal either.
“...who would want to spend that kind of money?” Karen Beerbower, a registered dietician and president of Nutritional Guidance, Inc., said she firmly believes that “Supplementation is only necessary in cases where proper nutrition is impeded,” by vitamin or mineral deficiency, intolerance to certain nutrients and their host whole foods or when lifestyle choice (e.g. vegetarianism) create a lack of proper nutrient intake. Over-supplementation can also be a problem, she said. “Our bodies absorb nutrients most efficiently through whole foods” and when over-supplementing “they [the products] can compete with absorption sites in the digestive system,” Beerbower said. Beerbower said she believes that general health supplements
Dipietro works for Advocare, a direct sales company based out of Plano, Texas. Advocare has gained steam in the health and fitness industry and solidified itself as a seemingly effective tool to the average Joe. The company specializes in nutritional supplements and weight management programs by combining supplements with a balanced diet and lifestyle. As a direct sales company, it uses a multi-level marketing model that relies on its independent distributors to turn its profits. With this structure, distributors can earn up to a 40 percent profit on any products they sell after a $79 initiation fee and can also receive employee discounts. If other distributors are recruited, a portion of their sales is given to the recruiter. Advocare relies solely on the distribution of supplements to make its sales. Dipietro, one of around 60,000 independent Advocare distributors, started selling Advocare after being referred by a friend. Fay said she wanted to feel better and healthier, but the financial opportunity really
solidified her recruitment. “Once you start, you are a walking billboard for your own business,” Dipietro said. This is because part of the marketing is being evidence of what Advocare can do. Unfortunately, those who are not distributors are stuck paying a premium for the products. A 25 serving canister of “Muscle Gain” by Advocare (a protein powder) is available to the non-distributor on its website for $79.95. “Combat Powder”, a protein powder by MusclePharm has a nearly identical nutrition profile and retails for $31.94 on Bodybuilding.com (and you get two more servings). The hefty price tag of Advocare’s product may be explained by the business model in itself. If distributors are expected to earn commission on both their sales and their recruits, the money has to come from somewhere, and that extensive gap in price could explain it. Dipietro mentioned that Advocare’s best quality is its alliance with Informed-Choice, a quality assurance program. This certifies that Advocare’s products are free of banned substances and safe to use, and in the company’s eyes possibly justifying paying an arm and a leg for the product. Another fitness company, MusclePharm, has products that also tout being approved by Informed-Choice. This contradicts Dipietro’s claim that the safety of
Advocare’s products is unique to them. If the products are comparable in both nutrition content and safety, it might be hard to justify paying over double the price just to buy protein powder through Advocare. High school wrestler and son to a nutritional gummy vitamin entrepreneur, Conner McPeak, said he has had some interaction with Advocare distributors claiming that there seems to be a definitive elitism among Advocare employees although he did concede that some could be sincere. If approached by an Advocare distributor, whether for retail or recruitment, Conner said that he would not be swayed too easily because “who would want to spend that kind of money… or be involved in charging others the same ridiculous amount when similar products are out there for far cheaper,” he said.
#fitfam financials
Advocare Muscle Gain 25 servings-
$79.95 from Advocare.com
VS
Those promoting nutritional supplements may have some clout, as Conner mentioned, as long as the user knows exactly what to realistically expect out of the product. For those who can’t afford Advocare, Dipietro said that the best thing a person can do is educate themselves on what their body specifically needs and get active, similar to the cautious approach the dietitian recommended.
MusclePharm Combat Powder 27 servings-
$31.94 from Bodybuilding.com
Are we ready for
FEMALE PRESIDENT?
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n a nation still attempting to break through the glass ceiling, the possibility of a female president is closer now than it has ever been.
“The world is ready,” professor Ilana Grimes said in March. “We are one of the only countries who has yet to have a female as their leader.” Although she has yet to put in her bid as a presidential candidate for the upcoming 2016 election, it is rumored that Hillary Clinton plans to kick off her campaign for presidency in April. “I think that if a woman can go to war, she can be president,” Amber Hupp, student at Seminole State College said, adding that “women are more capable of holding more responsibility and organization. Its time to at least try it. I think a woman could hold the position a lot better than a man could.” It’s hard to say whether or not Clinton has a chance of winning from the opinion of Seminole State students like Manny Gonzalez. “It depends on the individual themselves. There are women who are emotionally unstable,” he said. Manny Gonzalez alluded briefly to the 1998 Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.
By:Tiffany Castro
“Like, Hillary Clinton and her issue with Bill Clinton. Imagine if that happened to a female president, who knows what kind of attitude she would bring to the table.” According to Gallup, Inc., 88 percent of voters say they would vote for a well-qualified woman for president. In a March article, Gallup also said that 56 percent of women have a favorable opinion of Clinton, while 32 percent view her unfavorably. Men however, have split opinions of Clinton. Jared Morelos, Seminole State student, said it would take an “incredibly remarkable woman” to be able to run the country. “The things women bring as far as being caring would be helpful to all humanity. Are we ready? I don’t think so,” Morelos said. For Professor Ilana Grimes, the country is ready for change, however said she still believes our country is not yet ready for it. “Are we ready in terms that our country is in such bad shape? Yes, we’re ready,” she said. “We’ve destroyed ourselves to the point that we need a female. We’re ready in that sense. We’ve killed ourselves to the point that we need one. Are we ready for acceptance? No.”
Spring Break shenanigans
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By: Ian Finnerty
fter a week of beach days, tanning and fun, tired and sunburned students filled the halls on campus asking each other: “What did you do over Spring Break?”
“We went and partied it up in Daytona Beach for a weekend,” Seminole State Student Jean Pierre Narea said. Seminole State students like Phillip Edmondson-Norris said he went to theme parks like Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with relatives. Other Seminole Students like Grant Sewyers said they went to New Smyrna Beach trying to stay away from all the bikers in Daytona Beach. “New Smyrna is more of a local’s beach to just stay for the day and it’s much nicer than Daytona Beach,” Sewyers said. “We went to St. Augustine to avoid Bike Week and get away for a while with my family,” Seminole Student Saxon Chambers added. Students such as Narea, on the other hand, said he went to Bike Week to enjoy the atmosphere and saw plenty of interesting bikes. Daytona Beach is still ranked as the “best cheap Spring Break destination” by U.S. News Travel, beating out Puerto Rico and Panama City Beach. But being the cheapest Spring Break destination might not be ideal for business owners in the area, some students said they love the value of Daytona Beach as a destination for their wild antics. Volusia County Sheriff ’s Office’s Public Information Officer Gary Davidson said he had not “seen evidence of Bike Week deterring much of the Spring Break scene.” “There is no question the numbers have declined over 15 years from their heyday,” Davidson said. “But there are plenty of options for spring breakers and Daytona Beach isn’t the only destination for big parties.” “My friends and I wish we had the money to go to Panama City or Cancun,” Narea said.
Changes students want for Seminole State College Matt R oy
The Seminole Scribe went around asking students what, if anything, they would change about their school.
Left: “Improve the parking availability.” Right: “The bachelor’s program at
Seminole State should be expanded.” Below: “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Seminole State. I’ve had a great experience so far and this is my fourth semester.”
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Shelby Colon Left: “Need more places to sit.” Right: “There’s nothing going on at
Seminole State as far as student activities.” Below: “Definitely be cheaper to stay for four years” rather than transfer after two years.
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Left: “Bigger art budget!” Right: “More clubs at Seminole State would make college more fun.”
Reported by The Seminole Scribe
UC F S anford/Lake Mar y
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