By Melissa Russell and Nicole Nemeth
Click here for slideshow
Click here for same-sex adoption information map
Click here for adoption resources in Florida
TAMPA, Fla. – In 1973 under a harvest moon, 24-year-old Nancy Snyder repeated to herself: “I did not give birth to this baby, but she belongs to me.” Snyder held a baby of Asian descent close to her heart as the child wrapped its tiny arms around her neck. Moments later Snyder woke up to the realization that it was just a dream. She could not have children.
However, seven years later the dream came true.
Snyder received a referral in December of 1979, from Holt International Children’s Services - an adoption agency - telling her that a child was available for her. The following April, a case worker met Snyder and her husband at the airport with Sara Campion, a 9-month-old child from Korea. When Snyder held Sara for the first time, the child fell asleep in her arms.
According to The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, in 2001 there were 1.5 million domestic and internationally adopted children in the United States. Domestic adoptions include foster care adoption and private adoption. International adoptions have gained in popularity, having more than doubled in the past 11 years with over half of internationally adopted children being female. Nearly 90 percent of the children adopted internationally are under the age of 5, and according to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau, nearly half of foreign-born adopted children come from Asia.
On Oct. 30, 2009, a proclamation was sent from the Office of the Press Secretary by President Barack Obama stating that he wanted “to support and honor adoptive families.” Thus November became National Adoption Month.
Adoptions come in all shapes and sizes. According to a study published in the Adoption Quarterly, there are different motivations for parents to adopt. The study “Ready to Adopt: Characteristics and Expectations of Pre-adoptive Families,” stated reasons that ranged from: just wanting to adopt, concerns about birth parent issues associated with domestic adoptions (supporting reasons to adopt internationally), humanitarian reasons and infertility reasons.
And adoption is not just for the traditional family. Same-sex couples now have the opportunity to adopt children as well. For Martin Gill, Nov. 25, 2008, will always be special. For 33 years Florida has banned same-sex adoptions under FLA. STAT. § 63.042(3). But on this day, the juvenile court gave Gill and his partner permission to adopt their two foster children, thus repealing the ban. Attorney General Bill McCollum threatened to appeal the court’s decision. However, on Oct. 22, 2010, McCollum decided to leave the repealed ban alone, opening the door for same-sex couples to adopt in Florida.
Snyder’s adopted daughter, Sara Campion, is now 31 and said adoption is definitely in her future. She explains her reasons to adopt seem natural.
“It’s like how it’s natural for people to want to have their own natural children, I guess because I have been adopted it’s the thing I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “There are too many orphans and there’s really no reason for children to be orphans. I’d like to have my own little united nations.”
Many parents pursue international adoptions because of misconceptions that domestic adoptions are not as safe. Loryn Smith, director of Woven Basket Adoption Agency, said that this is not always true. In her experience, Smith said international children who are adopted have no medical history and tend to have more severe health and mental issues. Because of the lack of history, parents do not know anything about the child’s wellness.
Campion said in her case, she is not even sure of her actual birth date. Her family celebrates her birthday on July 9, 1979. As a premature baby, she was malnourished and left at a police station, so they used this date to estimate her date of birth. She does not have any records of her birth mom, only of her foster family in Korea. She said the fear of rejection has plagued her over the years and kept her from getting close to people. Growing up in an all-white community was lonely.
“I felt like the only Asian on the planet,” she said.
Smith said attachment issues are common in adopted children since their attachment bond with their birth mother had been severed. But she believes that every child responds differently to this and while some may have more severe issues like Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), many children adjust very well.
The Mayo Clinic describes RAD as a severe condition where children are unable to respond to social interactions because they did not form healthy attachments with their caregivers. While RAD is a lifelong condition, treatment can help the child and family cope with it.
Smith said severe conditions are more common in international children who have been profoundly traumatized and left in institutions with little or no touch. She said children from certain countries have a profound rate of fetal alcohol syndrome that may not show up until adolescence, leaving parents unprepared in how to handle it.
But this is not just the case for international adoptions. “Children issued through the state (foster care) have all been victims of abuse or neglect, and so their issues are very different even if they’re very young,” Smith said.
This is different from the case of a domestic newborn whose mother had good prenatal care, was not exposed to domestic violence and decided to find a family for her baby, Smith said.
“Even in utero exposure to domestic violence alters brain development,” she said. RAD results from the level of trauma experienced. Because of this, she said it takes a different level of parenting.
While Woven Basket requires their parents to go through preadoptive training, most private agencies do not require it. Parents go into it “just like they would a birth child, and so when that child hits adolescence they’re seeing some attachment issues,” Smith said. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) does require families to take a ten-week preparation course.
Because of the importance of parental education, Woven Basket offers post-placement support. Hillsborough county families can also find assistance at the Sylvia Thomas Center in Brandon, which offers training for parents, support group meetings and other resources. DCF has resources for families as well.
Some adoptive parents have said dealing with medical issues for their state-adopted children is one of the more frustrating factors. Often state-adopted children are required to use Medicaid, which covers everything they need. While this is helpful, many parents have expressed concern about how poorly they were treated at some of the medical facilities.
Sabrina Christie, an adoptive parent and school counselor at Lee Elementary, is required to use Medicaid. She said she has been treated as “less than human” at some offices but discovered that when she educated herself on what her child needed and stood up for those needs, she was treated better. She encourages other foster care parents to do the same.
“Treat people the way you want to be treated,” Christie said. “Sometimes you just got to be that advocate for the child.”
Sara Campion slideshow
Same-sex adoption map:
View Same-Sex Adoption Laws State by State in a larger map
Adoption map:
View Adoption Services in Florida in a larger map
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Synthetic herb gets banned
by Jill Case and Jamie Oakes
TAMPA, Fla.--In November, California voters had the opportunity to change history by voting for the legalization of recreational marijuana. The proposition failed by only nine percent. This left smokers without a prescription for medical marijuana to resort to harmful synthetic materials marketed as incense like the popular brand K2. Then, last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also issued an emergency federal ban on those products. November has been a dead end for people wanting to get high.
But as fast as they are being banned, companies are coming up with new alternatives. According to the K2 website, who claims to be the official source, there is a new generation of products they developed that they claim are completely legal and not covered by the ban. None of these five new scents are fruit or candy flavored which takes away the appeal for kids. These new products are adorned with an official seal.
As of November 24, 2010, the DEA has announced temporary placement of five synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule-I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), including the substances JWH-018 and JWH-073.
Based on a finding by the DEA Deputy Administrator, the placement of the synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule-I of the CSA is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety.
There are five schedules of controlled substances under the CSA. For a substance to be placed on Schedule-I, which already includes marijuana, LSD, and Ecstasy, it must have a high potential for abuse, have no current accepted medical use in treatment in the states, and a lack of accepted safety.
A trip to several smoke shops and convenience stores in the Tampa Bay area revealed the instant availability of synthetic marijuana. K2, a blend of spices, moonlights as an incense but people are actually smoking it to catch a buzz.
What they are actually smoking is a blend of various herbs and chemicals called JWH-018 and JWH-073. It appeals to teenagers and young adults because the incense comes in fruity “scents” like grape, strawberry and cotton candy, while the back of the package reads “not for human consumption.”
The chemicals are produced in China by an unknown company and were flying under the United States’ regulation radar for years. JWH-018 and JWH-073 were invented by Dr. John Huffman at Clemson University in 1995. Huffman was conducting medical research on the effects of cannabinoids on the brain. The only side effects found were negative. The mix started to be reproduced to create a legal alternative to the marijuana.
Some question why dangerous products like K2 were available for purchase for ages 18 years old and up, but marijuana, which is legal in 16 states for medicinal purposes, is still illegal for recreational use.
Gabriella Gonzalez, 22, a French major at the University of South Florida, said she has been smoking weed since she was 16 years old. Gonzalez has never experienced any negative side effects, but has from trying K2.
“The only negative effects I’ve seen in other people from smoking marijuana are panic attacks and paranoia,” said Gonzalez, “but I did have a bad headache from smoking K2. It didn’t work the same and it tasted gross.”
According to information derived from an FDA report from 1997 to 2005, marijuana has been the primary cause of death in zero cases, where as other FDA approved drugs racked up over 10,000 deaths. Two of those drugs were the popular Viagra, which cause 2,254 deaths in that time period, and Vioxx, which caused 4,540 deaths.
“If weed were legalized, I think it would make it less of a gateway drug because you would have to buy it from federally or state sanctioned places like a gas station or a smoke shop or something where it would be contained,” said Gonzalez. “People would have to be either 21 or 18, versus young kids in high school who just go to drug dealers who don’t care how old they are.”
Gonzalez believes that this would solve the riddle of marijuana being a gateway drug.
“A lot of drug dealers have other drugs out and that would make kids more likely to try them. That’s the gateway; buying it from an illegal source and being influenced by that lifestyle,” said Gonzalez.
TAMPA, Fla.--In November, California voters had the opportunity to change history by voting for the legalization of recreational marijuana. The proposition failed by only nine percent. This left smokers without a prescription for medical marijuana to resort to harmful synthetic materials marketed as incense like the popular brand K2. Then, last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also issued an emergency federal ban on those products. November has been a dead end for people wanting to get high.
But as fast as they are being banned, companies are coming up with new alternatives. According to the K2 website, who claims to be the official source, there is a new generation of products they developed that they claim are completely legal and not covered by the ban. None of these five new scents are fruit or candy flavored which takes away the appeal for kids. These new products are adorned with an official seal.
As of November 24, 2010, the DEA has announced temporary placement of five synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule-I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), including the substances JWH-018 and JWH-073.
Based on a finding by the DEA Deputy Administrator, the placement of the synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule-I of the CSA is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety.
There are five schedules of controlled substances under the CSA. For a substance to be placed on Schedule-I, which already includes marijuana, LSD, and Ecstasy, it must have a high potential for abuse, have no current accepted medical use in treatment in the states, and a lack of accepted safety.
A trip to several smoke shops and convenience stores in the Tampa Bay area revealed the instant availability of synthetic marijuana. K2, a blend of spices, moonlights as an incense but people are actually smoking it to catch a buzz.
What they are actually smoking is a blend of various herbs and chemicals called JWH-018 and JWH-073. It appeals to teenagers and young adults because the incense comes in fruity “scents” like grape, strawberry and cotton candy, while the back of the package reads “not for human consumption.”
The chemicals are produced in China by an unknown company and were flying under the United States’ regulation radar for years. JWH-018 and JWH-073 were invented by Dr. John Huffman at Clemson University in 1995. Huffman was conducting medical research on the effects of cannabinoids on the brain. The only side effects found were negative. The mix started to be reproduced to create a legal alternative to the marijuana.
Some question why dangerous products like K2 were available for purchase for ages 18 years old and up, but marijuana, which is legal in 16 states for medicinal purposes, is still illegal for recreational use.
Gabriella Gonzalez, 22, a French major at the University of South Florida, said she has been smoking weed since she was 16 years old. Gonzalez has never experienced any negative side effects, but has from trying K2.
“The only negative effects I’ve seen in other people from smoking marijuana are panic attacks and paranoia,” said Gonzalez, “but I did have a bad headache from smoking K2. It didn’t work the same and it tasted gross.”
According to information derived from an FDA report from 1997 to 2005, marijuana has been the primary cause of death in zero cases, where as other FDA approved drugs racked up over 10,000 deaths. Two of those drugs were the popular Viagra, which cause 2,254 deaths in that time period, and Vioxx, which caused 4,540 deaths.
“If weed were legalized, I think it would make it less of a gateway drug because you would have to buy it from federally or state sanctioned places like a gas station or a smoke shop or something where it would be contained,” said Gonzalez. “People would have to be either 21 or 18, versus young kids in high school who just go to drug dealers who don’t care how old they are.”
Gonzalez believes that this would solve the riddle of marijuana being a gateway drug.
“A lot of drug dealers have other drugs out and that would make kids more likely to try them. That’s the gateway; buying it from an illegal source and being influenced by that lifestyle,” said Gonzalez.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Florida's Deadly Sins
by Thayesha Lewin
Florida’s greed, calculated by the average income compared with the number of people living below the poverty line, was most prominent in the lower part of the state, skipping over the Panhandle. Envy, the total property crimes which include robbery, burglary, larceny and grand theft auto per capita, and wrath, the measure of the violent crimes of murder, rape and assault per capita, has engulfed our state
In 2009, a team of geographers at Kansas State University decided to map the United States in a way that only God and the devil knew before. They measured the distribution of the seven deadly sins. Greed, wrath, lust, envy, sloth, gluttony and pride where calculated using per capita statistics for each county in every state. The geographers created a US map that rated all state counties from “Saintly” to downright “Devilish,” coloring them dark green to a deep burgundy, respectively. Florida was not painted in saintly green on any of the sin maps, unless you count an anomalous splatter of greedlessness in the center of the Panhandle. However, for the sins of greed, envy and wrath, Florida was as crimson as the velvet fabric on a church pew.
The purest states of the country are, ironically, seldom from within the Bible Belt. They are in the Plains, Rocky Mountains and upper Southeast of the United States: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Montana, Illinois, Kentucky and West Virginia. What is it about Florida life that differs from the fairer states? What creates such ripe conditions here for wayward souls?
completely.
GREED
Florida’s per capita personal income for the year 2009 was $38,945, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce. And, according to StateHealthFacts.org, a website run by the Kaiser Family Foundation, there was about 2.7 million Floridians living in poverty. The state of Montana had a similar average income at $35,010 and yet had only 131,000 of its citizens living below the poverty line. The fact that the average income in Florida remains high despite millions living in poverty demonstrates the presence of extreme wealth.
ENVY
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported a total of 742,025 property crimes for 2009, meaning that for every 25 persons, one robbery, burglary, larceny or motor vehicle theft crime occurred. Compare that to North Dakota which saw one property crime per 55 people, more than two times less likely than in Florida.
WRATH
In 2009, Florida was the stage for 1,017 murders, 10,227 rapes and 71,290 assaults, totaling 82,534 violent crimes last year. One in every 225 Floridians was a victim of a violent crime. Cool and collected Kentuckians only saw violent crime occur for one in every 573 people.
Speculations
Could it be that because Florida is more metropolitan than the “saintly” states, it experiences more crime? A more densely populated state means citizens interact with more strangers, which gives criminals more potential victims within close proximity.
Is warm weather a catalyst for delinquency? Warm weather brings more people out of their homes, onto the streets, and into trouble. As many Floridians know, high heat is an irritant. Rising temperatures might correlate with a quickened temper that could lead to an increase in crimes of passion.
Florida’s state government tax collection per capita was $1,724, according to StateHealthFacts.org. That figure is one of the lowest in the country. Florida is also one of only seven states that do not impose a state income tax, attracting both the well-off and the down-and-out, which might have created the large discrepancy between the rich and the poor in Florida.
It is difficult to pinpoint one single cause of high rates of property and violent crimes and large income disparities in Florida. Two educators at the University of South Florida have their theories.
Educated Opinions
“I am much more focused on the crimes of the wealthy that aren’t called 'crimes' than those of the powerless and poor,” said Jennifer Friedman, an associate professor of sociology at USF. “Perhaps, if we had a more equitable system, the poor would have less reason to find ways to squander an existence. I suggest that you take a look at all of the ways that the rich get richer by exploiting the poor.”
Friedman pointed to Florida politicians, the irresponsibility of the BP oil spill disaster and the environmental wreckage by the sugarcane industry in the Everglades as examples.
“I think it is the education level,” said political science professor John Bertalan.
Bertalan experienced a culture shock when he moved from New Jersey to teach social studies at Driftwood Middle School in Hollywood, Fla.
“When I first came to Florida and was given a sixth-grade class, it was like going into a third-grade class in New Jersey. The dropout rate [in Florida] is unbelievable and the 12th-grade test here is actually on the ninth-grade level.”
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Despite Florida’s infamy, if sin rates, or crime rates, rather, are put into perspective, there has been a steady decline in crime in the United States over the last couple decades according to the 2009 Crime in the United States report completed by the FBI. From 2008 to 2009 alone, the violent crime rate decreased 6.1 percent and the property crime rate fell 4.6 percent.
Although its rates are higher than most states for the sins of greed, wrath and envy, Florida has been experiencing a steady baptism, cleansing the state of its citizen’s transgressions.
Hillsborough County Restaurants' Health Inspections
Jimmy Geurts, ADVANCED REPORTING
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| Acropolis Bar & Grill on Bruce B. Downs Blvd |
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants within the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) conducts the inspections.
Alexis Lambert, the DBPR’s press secretary, said all restaurant inspections are unannounced and at least two visits are required every fiscal year.
“The inspector goes in, immediately identifies him or herself to the manager, and the manager walks around with the inspector while they’re doing the inspection,” Lambert said.
According to the DBPR’s website, possible violations can include improperly thawed food, faulty electrical wiring, incorrectly labeled containers or poor employee hygiene.
When deciding whether to temporarily close a restaurant, however, Lambert said inspectors care more about chances of serious cross-contamination or food-borne illness than the actual number of violations.
For instance, Pho Quyen Cuisine on 2740 E. Fowler Ave. was ordered to temporarily close on Oct. 28 because of roach activity.
“It’s a risk-based inspection, so the inspector is assessing the risk during the inspection — not specifically looking at counting violations or anything like that,” Lambert said.
Acropolis Greek Taverna’s 14947 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location received 30 violation counts during a July 6 inspection. Half of the violations were classified as critical, yet no further action was taken after the inspection.
Tarek Armoush, a general manager for Acropolis Greek Taverna, said that every health inspection takes several hours and the report procedure is so extensive that he couldn’t summarize it.
“I can’t — it’s like pages,” Armoush said.
Nonetheless, Armoush said he believed every category was necessary for safety — even a concern like “thermometers provided and conspicuously placed” that might baffle outsiders.
“You’ve got to make sure the thermometers are in their correct placing,” Armoush said.
Tank’s Tap Room, located on 13150 N. Dale Mabry Highway, scored 47 violations on a Jan. 26 inspection and was issued a warning.
Among the inspector’s complaints was that food was found out of temperature — with chicken, and chili said to be over 41 degrees. According to the National Restaurant Association, the proper temperature is usually 41 degrees or colder, and higher temperatures can potentially cause food spoilage.
Antonio Escalante, Tank’s Tap Room’s kitchen manager, said he had just unloaded the food from a vendor’s truck and the inspector arrived before he could stow it away in a refrigerator.
In an ABC Action News “Dirty Dining” report, Chris Jacksec, the restaurant’s owner, also suggested the truck’s interior wasn’t cold enough and said he planned to file a grievance against the inspector for misleading information.
Escalante said Jacksec never told him if the grievance went through, but in February, the restaurant was simultaneously a subject of a “Dirty Dining” installment and a backdrop for a positive television special on Fine Living Network.
“The same particular week we had that review, it was one of our best months,” Escalante said.
Tank’s Tap Room also received four violations under the “food management certification not valid” category. Escalante said each count came from a cook who didn’t have his or her ServSafe certification on hand rather than multiple staff positions.
“Of course, they didn’t have to write four violations, but they decided to write it,” Escalante said.
Overall, Lambert said most restaurant owners are quick to comply with inspection reports and correct violations.
“They’re typically very cooperative,” Lambert said. “An inspection process is actually a learning process for the operator."
A Google Map of Tampa's Zero Violation Restaurants and Their Urban Spoon Ratings
View Tampa's Cleanest in a larger map
Tank's Tap Room On Dirty Dining- an ABC Action News reportA Google Map of Tampa's Zero Violation Restaurants and Their Urban Spoon Ratings
View Tampa's Cleanest in a larger map
**For a chart comparison of restaurant ratings and violations, click here.**
A non-traditional education
by Ashley Morlote, with additional reporting by Emily Handy and Naomi Prioleau
It’s no secret that many college students spend their time multitasking between work, school and a social life. But, some have thrown another component into the mix.
It’s no secret that many college students spend their time multitasking between work, school and a social life. But, some have thrown another component into the mix.
According to the American Council on Education, in 2005 10 percent of undergraduates under 25 were parents or married – compared to 7.6 percent in 1993.
For more statistics on college parents, click here.
For more statistics on college parents, click here.
As a known commuter school, USF has its fair share of non-traditional students, several of whom are already learning how to balance raising a family with other responsibilities.
Justin Rivera, a senior majoring in history, is a father of three: 3-year-old Justin, two-year-old Christian and one-year-old Isabella. Not one of these was planned.
A study conducted by the American Pregnancy Association indicates that 47 percent of pregnancies are accidental.
Rivera and his girlfriend had their first unplanned child together their freshman year.
“We were surprised because she was on birth control,” Rivera said.
When Rivera found out he was going to be a father he decided to work in a labor pool for a summer. He would show up to a construction site and hope to get hired for a day doing odd jobs at the site. But the low pay and bleak prospects led him to go back to school that fall.
Now in his sixth year of college, Rivera admits that it has been a struggle to balance parenthood and schoolwork.
“It doesn’t matter that you’re at school, they still need a parent,” Rivera said.
Rivera and his girlfriend have spent most of their college years scheduling classes and work around each other, ensuring that one was always available for the children.
“I feel like I’m 30,” Rivera said. “I got robbed of being young.”
Now that Rivera’s girlfriend has graduated, things have become a bit easier. She stays at home watching the kids while Rivera attends school and work.
Rivera has undoubtedly experienced financial struggles. To provide for his family, he works for “The Oracle” and carries equipment for Lightning City Gymnastics and Cheerleading.
However, Rivera depends heavily on EBT cards, which are similar to food stamps, and loans. Currently, Rivera is $60-$70 thousand in debt.
But, he remains optimistic. He sees greater career potential with a college degree.
“I want to be a high school history teacher,” said Rivera.
In 2004 the Census Bureau released a study that compared salaries of those with and without college degrees. On average, those with bachelor degrees earned $51,206 a year while those with high school degrees earned $27, 925 a year. Furthermore, those with an advanced degree earned $74,602.
Shana Johnson, a mother and fifth year senior majoring in broadcast news, knows the difference a college education makes.
“I have always been pretty studious, so I’ve always had a career goal where a college degree is very important,” Johnson said.
Johnson had her son, Preston, three and a half years ago during her sophomore year.
Johnson originally attended FIU, but transferred to USF after becoming pregnant to be near her family and the baby’s father, who she plans to marry.
Johnson’s days begin at 7 a.m. and most of her time is devoted to school and work. Her broadcast news classes demand a lot of her time out of class.
“I haven’t gotten much sleep this semester,” she said.
For income, Johnson works as a Lightning Girl, which takes up any free time she might have had. However, Johnson finds herself feeling guilty after her long days. Often times, family members watch Preston because of her demanding schedule.
“I’m away a lot; like too much,” she said.
But, Johnson tries to include Preston in the activities that pull her away from home.
“I usually bring him to (photo) shoots or to class or the Lightning events, if they’re kid-friendly,” Johnson said.
The USF Family Center and the USF Preschool for Creative Learning are both childcare options for University students, faculty and staff who don’t have someone to watch their child.
But many, like Johnson and Rivera, rely on family to help. For Lydia Harvey, a senior majoring in mass communications, her parents and her boyfriend are the main reasons she’s able to get through her day.
Click here to hear how Lydia and Shana balance school and parenting.
Click here to hear how Lydia and Shana balance school and parenting.
Harvey lives with her two children, 2-year-old Cyril and 2-month-old Presley, and her boyfriend in Ybor city where they rent a house. While her boyfriend works as a tattoo artist, Harvey is able to take online classes from home and only has to visit USF on Thursdays for Photojournalism, when he or her mother watch the kids.
But even with only one class on campus, Harvey, who had Presley the first week of school, has still had to miss class.
“It was kinda crazy,” she said, about missing her only on campus class when she had Presley. “They gave us the dates that they were going to hand out our cameras (in photojournalism) and I was like, ‘Oh, OK, cool, if the baby doesn’t come at that day everything will be fine.’ And of course that was the day she came.”
For Harvey, the most difficult part of raising children while in school is trying find time to study. Luckily, she said she is usually able to stay at her mom’s, who watches the kids while she finishes work. But when it comes to out-of-class photo assignments it’s not as easy.
“Basically what you’re supposed to do (in Photojournalism) is keep your camera with you at all times and shoot your assignments as you see them happening,” Harvey said. “But since I have two kids … I have my camera in the car with me but it’s not like I can jump out of the car and photograph a newsworthy thing that’s happening and just leave my kids in the car.”
But, despite the hard work, Harvey said the decision to go back to school was an easy one.
“It was really having kids that made me go back to school,” she said. “They’re the reason and it wasn’t a hard decision at all.”
View from the parking lot: Local abortion protestors defend their actions
by Jill Case and Jamie Oakes
TAMPA, Fla.--Every Saturday morning, protestors line up along the street at 2010 E. Fletcher Ave. in front of a purple and white brick building. It has a white picket fence protecting it from the seedy road, in which three pawn shops encompass the building. A Scion xB blares rock music to drown out the voices of the onlooking activists. It’s the Tampa Women’s Health Center, a place that performs abortions; a place that causes controversy.
The debate between pro-life and pro-choice has long been a political social issue, even before Roe v. Wade, which passed in 1973. Most conservatives consider themselves pro-life, and believe that life begins at conception. Whereas the majority of liberals fall on the side of pro-choice, believing women should have the choice to decide what to do with their body--whether it’s an abortion or not.
These are the pro-life protestors. They come out here every Saturday for four hours to exercise their First Amendment right: freedom of speech. Signs that read “Pray to end abortion” wave in the air and pamphlets are distributed to passing pedestrians. They’re doing anything to get their word out that there are other options.
“We have the right to be out here, we have the right to stand where we are as long as we are on the public access,” said Carl Francis Kosierowski, a regular protestor, a bus driver for Hillsborough County Schools and devoted Catholic. “After all, that’s what America is all about.”
Although some people may believe these activists are forcing their morality on the women who come to the clinic, Kosierowski feels differently. He gave thought to what abortion is and was motivated after watching “The Silent Scream,” an early 80s pro-life educational video where it shows an ultrasound of what happens during an abortion. After that, he believed there is no other evidence that contradicts that life begins at the moment of conception.
“There’s no other human more defenseless than an unborn child and that’s why I’m here,” said Kosierowski.
Protestor Chris Glaud, a Tampa artist, feels that he needs to exercise his rights, too. He is motivated because he has friends that have suffered from the process and for his love of the unborn and their mothers.
“What happens is they end up stuffing feelings deep inside,” said Glaud. “Something happens years later and they go ballistic.”
This condition he is describing is called post-abortion syndrome. Many people believe this is what happens to some women after they get an abortion. Symptoms include guilt, depression and suicidal tendencies. Although those emotions could be experienced afterward, the American Psychological Association (APA) says that abortions do not lead to increased mental illness in the patients. The APA also concludes that post-abortion syndrome is not recognized by any medical or psychological organization.
“We’re trying to reach out to these women before they make a mistake that they can’t undo, and at the bare minimum make them aware of the resources that are there,” said Glaud.
“What we’re doing for the most part is counseling and praying,” said Kosierowski. “We’re not forcing ourselves on anyone, we don’t do that. If we can convince them, fine.”
When the activists have an opportunity to speak with the women, they have been able to change a few minds. “It brings tears to your eyes because you know you’ve saved a life,” said Kosierowski.
The sanctity of life is the number one reason they don’t support abortion. Both men think it should be illegal, regardless of certain circumstances, like rape or incest. The two see there is the adoption path.
However, neither of them could come up with a possible penalty for the women or the clinic.
“I’d never really given that much thought. I’m not a believer of capital punishment,” said Kosierowski. “So I know that wouldn’t be part of the penalty.”
They focus more on the loss of life rather than the punishment for the mothers. “The bigger problem is people wanting to kill a baby, people thinking that’s okay,” said Chris. “That’s the real problem. The laws are secondary.”
TAMPA, Fla.--Every Saturday morning, protestors line up along the street at 2010 E. Fletcher Ave. in front of a purple and white brick building. It has a white picket fence protecting it from the seedy road, in which three pawn shops encompass the building. A Scion xB blares rock music to drown out the voices of the onlooking activists. It’s the Tampa Women’s Health Center, a place that performs abortions; a place that causes controversy.
The debate between pro-life and pro-choice has long been a political social issue, even before Roe v. Wade, which passed in 1973. Most conservatives consider themselves pro-life, and believe that life begins at conception. Whereas the majority of liberals fall on the side of pro-choice, believing women should have the choice to decide what to do with their body--whether it’s an abortion or not.
These are the pro-life protestors. They come out here every Saturday for four hours to exercise their First Amendment right: freedom of speech. Signs that read “Pray to end abortion” wave in the air and pamphlets are distributed to passing pedestrians. They’re doing anything to get their word out that there are other options.
“We have the right to be out here, we have the right to stand where we are as long as we are on the public access,” said Carl Francis Kosierowski, a regular protestor, a bus driver for Hillsborough County Schools and devoted Catholic. “After all, that’s what America is all about.”
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| Carl Kosierowski stands outside Tampa Women's Health Center. |
“There’s no other human more defenseless than an unborn child and that’s why I’m here,” said Kosierowski.
Protestor Chris Glaud, a Tampa artist, feels that he needs to exercise his rights, too. He is motivated because he has friends that have suffered from the process and for his love of the unborn and their mothers.
“What happens is they end up stuffing feelings deep inside,” said Glaud. “Something happens years later and they go ballistic.”
This condition he is describing is called post-abortion syndrome. Many people believe this is what happens to some women after they get an abortion. Symptoms include guilt, depression and suicidal tendencies. Although those emotions could be experienced afterward, the American Psychological Association (APA) says that abortions do not lead to increased mental illness in the patients. The APA also concludes that post-abortion syndrome is not recognized by any medical or psychological organization.
“We’re trying to reach out to these women before they make a mistake that they can’t undo, and at the bare minimum make them aware of the resources that are there,” said Glaud.
“You hear on the news that it’s all about choice. It’s rarely about choice. It’s usually about feeling like there’s no choice.”Glaud and Kosierowski are just two of the protestors who come to the clinic finding it difficult to reach out to these women. The clinic has recently put security guard, Brian Cramer, in charge of escorting the women around back and blasting the music from his Scion to deter the protestors from talking to the women.
“What we’re doing for the most part is counseling and praying,” said Kosierowski. “We’re not forcing ourselves on anyone, we don’t do that. If we can convince them, fine.”
When the activists have an opportunity to speak with the women, they have been able to change a few minds. “It brings tears to your eyes because you know you’ve saved a life,” said Kosierowski.
The sanctity of life is the number one reason they don’t support abortion. Both men think it should be illegal, regardless of certain circumstances, like rape or incest. The two see there is the adoption path.
However, neither of them could come up with a possible penalty for the women or the clinic.
“I’d never really given that much thought. I’m not a believer of capital punishment,” said Kosierowski. “So I know that wouldn’t be part of the penalty.”
They focus more on the loss of life rather than the punishment for the mothers. “The bigger problem is people wanting to kill a baby, people thinking that’s okay,” said Chris. “That’s the real problem. The laws are secondary.”
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Does social media affect your state of mind?
To read about the sweeter side of social networking click here.
Listen to associate psychology professor Joseph Vandello talk about balancing the use of technology and quality time, below.
by Ashley Morlote
In today’s society, it seems that everyone is connected to the cyber world in one way or another. And, this holds true for college students. Campuses are filled with students who are constantly chatting with friends through social networks, texts or emails.
But a recent study conducted by mtvU and the Jed Foundation’s “Half of Us” campaign indicates that technology affects the mental health of college students.
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| Photo by Joseph Vandello |
The study, published this year, shows that the majority of those surveyed, have experienced emotional distress as a result of using technology, especially social media sites, as a means of communication.
According to the study, 1 in 7 students surveyed said that they often feel isolated from the outside world. Also, 48 percent of college students said that they have misunderstood the meaning of an email, text message or post.
Joseph Vandello, an associate psychology professor at the University of South Florida said that society is undergoing a profound change because of technological advancements. Social media sites are increasingly replacing face-to-face contact.
“There is some evidence that people in general in the United States are less socially integrated than in the past,” Vandello said.
Social media sites are also believed to be the culprit of a mental health issues on the other side of the spectrum. Obsessive tendencies have become a concern.
According to the collaborative study, 61 percent of those surveyed admitted to tracking someone’s social network page. While some may consider their tracking harmless, there is the potential of going it too far.
Anna, a 21-year-old international studies major who asked to remain anonymous due to the nature of the story, was recently in a relationship in which her boyfriend became obsessive because of Facebook.
“When it started, he would always give me 20 questions about what was on my Facebook wall,” Anna said.
She said that her ex became increasingly jealous of who she befriended on Facebook and any conversations she had with others on the site.
“He started showing up at parties without telling me,” she said.
This raised a red flag and Anna began questioning his behavior.
“When I asked how he knew where I was, he would say he saw it on my Facebook events,” she said.
Anna’s ex became increasingly possessive and needed to know where she was at all times. She felt overwhelmed and ended their relationship out of fear that her ex may not know where to stop.
Anna says she has learned her lesson. She makes sure not to reply to event invitations on Facebook
“I would definitely say Facebook was what enabled him to have that control over me,” she said.
Despite the apparent downfalls of social media sites, there is evidence that indicates that there are some positive effects in the relationship between social media sites and mental health.
Vandello said that the most optimistic view is that social media can potentially enhance communication. The study also indicates that 87 percent of college students feel more connected via social media sites.
Vandello said that it gives people the opportunity to connect with friends from their past.
“It’s one way to reconnect with people that you might otherwise lose contact with,” he said.
He also said that the Internet enables like-minded individuals to connect easily. Something that was difficult to achieve in times before instant communication.
“Now with a wired kind of globe, you can seek out other people who are going through the same experiences for you,” he said.
Because research in this area is young, no one can predict the long-term effects with certainty.
“Researchers are really just starting to understand how that really changes people’s social relations,” Vandello said.
The Sweet Side of Social Networking
by Emily Handy
Not all side effects of social networking are negative.
While recent studies claim that social networking can lead to physical and mental health problems, others are finding that the online communication trend can help promote good health, assist in emergency response and cut health care costs.
Not all side effects of social networking are negative.
While recent studies claim that social networking can lead to physical and mental health problems, others are finding that the online communication trend can help promote good health, assist in emergency response and cut health care costs.
The simplest way social networking has become beneficial for those with health issues is by offering a way for them to connect with others — whether they want to find more information or just talk.
Communities like patientslikeme.com offer a digital safe-haven for patients of various conditions — ranging from Epilepsy to a number of mental disorders — where they can browse symptoms, treatments, research and talk with other patients registered on the site.
Since its creation in 2004, the site has gained more than 65,000 members and ranked among Fast Company's 50 most innovative companies, according to its website.
Sites like this are beneficial, especially for patients who have difficulty leaving their home. But patientslikeme isn't the only site that is connecting patients with medical information from the comfort of their own home.
Sites like this are beneficial, especially for patients who have difficulty leaving their home. But patientslikeme isn't the only site that is connecting patients with medical information from the comfort of their own home.
Twitter.com, a site popular for networking, has become a new medium for doctors, turning potential patients into an audience.
According to Mashable, a news site that follows social and digital media, some doctors are taking to Twitter to blog about medical news and their own experiences in the field.
Hellohealth.com takes this idea a step further as one of the only healthcare providers that operates online, as well as in person; stressing the importance of patient and doctor interactions.
According to a report on Good Morning America, more than 100 hospitals have a twitter, one surgeon even using the account to tweet during a surgery. Other hospitals are using twitter to answer questions of medical students located even thousands of miles away.
According to a report on Good Morning America, more than 100 hospitals have a twitter, one surgeon even using the account to tweet during a surgery. Other hospitals are using twitter to answer questions of medical students located even thousands of miles away.
USF's own Moffitt Cancer Center has a Twitter page where they make announcements about hospital events, post links to stories about their patients and even provide medical research, like, "'As many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable,' says Moffitt's Dr. Thomas Sellers."
Doctors even have their own social network now, Ozmosis.com, where they can talk with peers, rather than patients.
And incorporating social networking into such medical activities is actually reducing healthcare costs, according to InformationWeek. According to an article published this month, not only are costs going down, but also the quality of care is rising. The Department of Veterans Affairs officials stated in the article that their online system VistA has cut per-patient costs by 30 percent while filtering out unnecessary tests.
But this doesn't mean patients will never have to leave their homes, at least not yet -- the American College of Physicians is still working on guidelines for social media use in the medical world.
In the meantime, patients can expect more medical information to become available online, but still have to drive to the doctor's office for treatment.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
New shot for students
--Emily Handy
To find out step-by-step ways to prevent the flu, click here.
To read more about identifying flu symptoms, click here.
With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already listing sporadic cases of the flu for the state of Florida, USF’s Student Health Services (SHS) has begun vaccinations.
“I highly recommend getting your flu shot,” said Janet Ashmore, a vaccination nurse at USF’s SHS building. “It’s the number one way to prevent (the flu).”
SHS began inactivated vaccinations — injections given via a shot into the muscle rather than a nasal spray — three or four weeks ago after the vaccine arrived and the staff was vaccinated, Ashmore said. Last year, there were two separate shots, one for two strains of influenza and another for H1N1 — also known as swine flu — which was then a rising concern.
A new vaccine for use this season, however, provides protection against H1N1 as well as influenzas A (H3N2) and B.
This year there is also no high-risk priority, said Dee Belangia, another immunization nurse for SHS. Belangia said being in crowds only increases the risk of flu infection and that everyone is recommended to receive the vaccination.
The College of Public Health, in collaboration with the Hillsborough County Health Department, is offering free flu vaccinations for anyone over the age of 18 on Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the College of Public Health building located at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Fletcher Avenue.
Vaccines are also free for students through SHS. Students can make an appointment for a vaccination, or attend the flu vaccination clinic Oct. 26 and 28 in Marshall Student Center room 1504 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“I’m getting the flu shot on campus because it’s free,” said Jeannine Palermo, a sophomore majoring in biology. “And ... I guess to stay healthy.”
So far Belangia estimates around 70 students have been vaccinated, though Ashwood said there have only been flu like symptoms seen on campus. The CDC recommends getting vaccinated as soon as a shot is available.
Protection typically takes two weeks to develop and can last for a year, according to the CDC.
“I think they’re (the students) very well versed,” Belangia said. “I think the students have really taken the initiative to go online and research and get the information and understand the importance of acquiring the flu vaccine.”
CDC reports that risks from the new vaccine can include soreness in the arm, fever, aches or cough. Belangia and Ashmore said they have not seen any negative reactions to the shot so far.
Palermo said she’s not concerned about bad reactions to the vaccine.
Both nurses recommend students take other protections against the flu by washing your hands frequently and getting enough rest. Students can find more information on the SHS website, shs.usf.edu, or the CDC website, cdc.gov.
To find out step-by-step ways to prevent the flu, click here.
To read more about identifying flu symptoms, click here.
With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already listing sporadic cases of the flu for the state of Florida, USF’s Student Health Services (SHS) has begun vaccinations.
“I highly recommend getting your flu shot,” said Janet Ashmore, a vaccination nurse at USF’s SHS building. “It’s the number one way to prevent (the flu).”
SHS began inactivated vaccinations — injections given via a shot into the muscle rather than a nasal spray — three or four weeks ago after the vaccine arrived and the staff was vaccinated, Ashmore said. Last year, there were two separate shots, one for two strains of influenza and another for H1N1 — also known as swine flu — which was then a rising concern.
A new vaccine for use this season, however, provides protection against H1N1 as well as influenzas A (H3N2) and B.
This year there is also no high-risk priority, said Dee Belangia, another immunization nurse for SHS. Belangia said being in crowds only increases the risk of flu infection and that everyone is recommended to receive the vaccination.
The College of Public Health, in collaboration with the Hillsborough County Health Department, is offering free flu vaccinations for anyone over the age of 18 on Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the College of Public Health building located at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Fletcher Avenue.
Vaccines are also free for students through SHS. Students can make an appointment for a vaccination, or attend the flu vaccination clinic Oct. 26 and 28 in Marshall Student Center room 1504 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“I’m getting the flu shot on campus because it’s free,” said Jeannine Palermo, a sophomore majoring in biology. “And ... I guess to stay healthy.”
So far Belangia estimates around 70 students have been vaccinated, though Ashwood said there have only been flu like symptoms seen on campus. The CDC recommends getting vaccinated as soon as a shot is available.
Protection typically takes two weeks to develop and can last for a year, according to the CDC.
“I think they’re (the students) very well versed,” Belangia said. “I think the students have really taken the initiative to go online and research and get the information and understand the importance of acquiring the flu vaccine.”
CDC reports that risks from the new vaccine can include soreness in the arm, fever, aches or cough. Belangia and Ashmore said they have not seen any negative reactions to the shot so far.
Palermo said she’s not concerned about bad reactions to the vaccine.
Both nurses recommend students take other protections against the flu by washing your hands frequently and getting enough rest. Students can find more information on the SHS website, shs.usf.edu, or the CDC website, cdc.gov.
Prevent the flu before it gets you
--Naomi Prioleau
After the H1N1 epidemic last season, some individuals may be more cautious about prevention.
Some may confuse the signs of the flu with signs of the common cold, and by then it is too late to get a shot to prevent it.
Dr. Egilda Terenzi, internal medicine director at the Student Health Services, says after the flu is in the immune system, it is best to let it run its course.
“When you’re in bed with a 104 degree fever, it’s too late,” Terenzi said. “Get the shot when you get well to prevent it from happening again.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list signs of the seasonal flu as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
They also state that it is impossible to tell for sure if one has the flu based on symptoms alone.
The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against different flu viruses and will last throughout the flu season. The vaccination that Student Health Services provides will include the protection from the H1N1 virus.
Terenzi believes that the true way the flu is contained depends on the individual. She recommends getting the shot and to use “common sense” to prevent the flu.
“Stay home when you’re sick,” Terenzi said. “Keep washing your hands, don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth and get the shot.”
Each flu season different strains of the flu come around. Terenzi said that epidemiologists decide what strains will be in the season and because they predict the strains in advance, that it is hard to determine what vaccination to use.
“We don’t make shots based on real time information because of a six to eight month prediction of what will be in the coming season,” Terenzi said. “Most of the time they get it right with the strain and the vaccination that is needed for it.”
Thursday, October 7, 2010
ZTA Thinks Pink for a Cause
by Kirstin Hermansen
To read the story of a college student who battled breast cancer, click here.
To see photos of men in heels raising money for cancer research, click here.
As October brings thoughts of cool weather and the colors of changing leaves for some, others are thinking pink.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and sororities around the country are supporting the cause.
According to Karen Richardson, the president of USF’s Zeta Tau Alpha chapter, the sorority hosts its annual fall philanthropy event, Octobreastfest, which takes place on Oct. 20 and 21, and has close ties with the Susan G. Komen Foundation year-round.
The event includes a Best-Chest Competition, where guests can pay a small fee to vote for their favorite chest with all the proceeds going to the foundation. The grand finale is a “Pink Out,” where all Greek organizations can deck their house in pink to stand up for the fight against breast cancer.
In addition, the sorority collects pink Yoplait lids and hosts a yogurt-eating contest.
The sisters have also partnered with USF Dining Services to make yogurt parfaits with Yoplait in an effort to collect pink lids for a campaign called “Save Lids to Save Lives.”
ZTA has also placed boxes at local businesses to collect even more lids. The girls started involvement with Yoplait in 2004. For every lid collected, Yoplait donates 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
ZTA at USF has come in second place two years in a row for collecting the most lids among its chapters nationwide. Last year they collected over 21,000.
“We want the participation of everyone, not just Greeks,” Richardson said.
In the past, ZTA has had many events supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation and breast cancer awareness. Since its association with the foundation, the girls have been providing pink T-shirts and caps for participants. They also provide pink "in-memory-of" and "in-celebration-of" signs for participants to honor a loved one. ZTA also provides self-breast examination reminder stickers for calendars.
ZTA established an association with Susan G. Komen for the Cure in 1992, and became the first national sponsor of Race for the Cure.
ZTA has donated over $3 million to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The national sorority is currently working with 23 of the 32 NFL teams to help increase breast cancer awareness by passing out pink ribbons and how-to examination cards. The girls from the USF chapter will be at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on Oct. 17 and at the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game on Oct. 18.
ZTA’s work for the cure continues after Oct. 31, however. During the spring semester, the sorority will hold its annual fashion show with vendors, auctions and food. There is a special segment of the show dedicated to breast cancer survivors.
“We are so proud of them (survivors) and their fight against breast cancer,” Richardson said.
Richardson’s grandmother and great-grandmother are both survivors of breast cancer. Unfortunately, her grandmother also suffered from lung cancer and lost her life to it.
“Any cancer is bad and affects anyone, anywhere, no matter who you are,” Richardson said. “This is a cause that really touches my heart, and when I see survivors I can't help but smile, knowing that our organization is fighting toward the same cause.”
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