Florida's Deadly Sins

by Thayesha Lewin

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?

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 

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 12^th-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     

Acropolis Bar & Grill on Bruce B. Downs Blvd

TAMPA, Fla.— Although tbo.com’s Fact Finder database displays 126 examples of Hillsborough County restaurant inspections with more than 30 health violations as of July 11, 2010,  there’s more to all these disquieting numbers than one might initially expect.

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

**For a chart comparison of restaurant ratings and violations, click here.**

         

           Tank's Tap Room On Dirty Dining- an ABC Action News report

                                  

 

 

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.

            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.

            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.

            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.”

Carl Kosierowski stands outside Tampa Women's Health Center.

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.

“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.”   

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. 

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.

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.

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.

      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.