Category / Uncategorized

by camronlunn

This Week in Sports Media

March Continues

Press Release: Week of March 24th, 2019

Gainesville, March 29th, 2019, Internet

The month of March truly is the culmination of the entire college basketball season. A field of 68 universities from across the country has now been whittled down to just 16 and in a little over two weeks the kings of college basketball will be crowned. Naturally, This weeks stories center around the heated confrontations of the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Of the two articles mentioned above, The most intriguing and insightful would be “Sweet 16 TV: A power outage out in the truck out west; Chris Webber excels calling pulsating Purdue OT win”. The author David J. Halberstam goes into great depth about both the positive and negative tendencies of the commentators and also events happening in and around the broadcasts of the games. From the an apparent electrical glitch in the production van before the tip-off of the Texas Tech and Michigan matchup to the overall lackluster color commentary of Dan Bonner, there are few details of the overall broadcast left un-analyzed by Halberstam. Not only were the television broadcasts critique, but the state of basketball play-by-play on the radio is also brutalized. He even went into depth about the commentation of the division two national semi-finals. There really is no stone left unturned in his analyses

It is intriguing to see an author go into such depth about such topics as the comentation of a game. The insights seem to look directly toward highlighting the expertise of the former players such as Chris Webber and Reggie Miller and also deeming the work of their counterparts as less than stellar. Great points are also made about how unnecessary some aspects of trends in radio broadcasting and they are highly insightful. All in all, athletes do make for great expert opinion, but sometimes can make broadcasts somewhat dull. In the case of basketball broadcasts on radio, individual play analysis may be tedious, but when peppered in with score updates can really liven up a broadcast and not be as much of a hindrance as stated by Halberstam.

The goal of Sports Broadcast Journal (Initially Sports Announcers Report Card) is to serve a mix of announcers, executives, producers, and other interested followers of sports broadcasting, podcasting, webcasting, and the growing world of digital media.

William Camron Lunn Twitter:@CamronLunn Email:Camron12@ufl.edu

by cassidymizell1

Food to Thrive: How We Can Diversify our Diets for our Planet

Quinoa vs Rice via Simple Sensible Nutrition

Here’s an interesting fact: 75 percent of the world’s diet is comprised of just 12 plants and 5 animals.

However, this reality has damaging implications for our planet. In a report compiled by the World Wildlife Federation and Knorr foods, our narrow eating habits are causing a slow collapse of habitats and species.

Overharvesting and use of pesticides is detrimental to the land where commercial farming takes place, as well as the animals that live on that land. In addition, the deforestation necessary for the production of red meat is a major source of greenhouse gases.

So, experts recommend diversifying our diets in order to preserve the planet. This means searching abroad for unfamiliar foods. These foods, many from the African continent, are sturdier and more productive than our traditional food sources, which means that these crops are better for our environment and can feed more people to account for the rising population.

Examples of non-traditional food sources include salsify root, purple yams, quinoa, fava beans, and seaweed.

Seaweed via Healthline
Salsify Root via Specialty Produce

These organizations are hoping that people will begin to make substitutes in their routines for these different food sources.

So, maybe make a switch from white rice to quinoa in your next dish. The planet will be better off for it.

A menu from the conference featuring many of the non-traditional foods being promoted by the WWF and Knorr foods. Via The Salt

For more information on this report, check out this article by Elanor Beardsley

For more in food news, check The Salt by NPR.

by gabrielaharmon

Opportunity for a Bright Future

As I have discussed in past trade press releases, many of the challenges that law firms are facing are due to new technology and alternative legal service providers. Deborah Farone, writer for the American Lawyer, describes these challenges as “disconnects” that exist within modern-day law firms that can be seen as either impediments or opportunities. Farone emphasizes that law firms need to focus on using the resources that are available effectively. The expertise offered by firms in specific niches, including the Big 4 accounting firms, should be taken advantage of by creating strategic relationships and partnerships. Technology should be studied and analyzed in order to be implemented in the most effective ways possible rather than avoided or used “just for technology’s sake.”

Financials of 2018 show a rise in profits for law firms across the board. Top firms have reached new heights in profits, but growth this year has been more evenly distributed among all sizes of law firms. The firms that continue to struggle are those that are smaller and less profitable than the competition; therefore, have difficulty keeping top talent. The rising competition and performance of these top firms reflects well on the industry.  

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index has found that big law firms in America have once again outperformed the rest of corporate America in their acceptance and support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. Despite the issues of equality and representation that I have discussed in past trade press releases, this is evidence that change is possible and happening.

The emergence of new talent and technology has created a very competitive market for legal service providers. While it may be harder for firms to keep top clients and talents, these developments within the legal field reflect well on the industry overall. The acceptance of the LGBTQ community among top firms also proves that change can be made and equality can be reached. Despite the challenges faced by my generation as we enter the legal field, there are also endless opportunities to build upon this promising industry.

by camronlunn

People Dedicated to Quality

PDQ was founded by Bob Basham and Nick Reader in 2011. These two Florida businessman went on a road trip to look for the next big thing for fast food. With a focus being on freshness and quality, These two ended up in North Carolina and found a restaurant known as Tenders, made a deal with the owners of the small business, and two years later the first PDQ opened in Tampa. PDQ stands for People Dedicated to Quality. Here is a breakdown of what that slogan, and those three simple words mean to us.

People

We are all people. People are who run the world and are who PDQ’s business revolves around. Without great customer service this business would fall apart. Through the training and hiring of good people, we are able to give the best possible service and product to the people who need it the most. Some of the people that we strive to please the most are college students, so having locations in towns with large colleges (like the University of Florida in Gainesville, the University of South Florida in Tampa, and the University of Central Florida in Orlando) helps us reach our preferred clientele. We also be sure to give back, donating time and money into the areas that we serve. So next time you see your local tee-ball time look for the PDQ logo on the back.

Dedicated

Dedication is what drives a product forward. All good businesses are built around hard work and dedication. Without the drive and determination to give people the best service possible, PDQ would be the equivalent of your average chicken tender restaurant. This dedication pushes us to wake up early make everything in house. Nothing special, just ordinary. No one should strive for just being ordinary. The same dedication shown when we were Tenders, a mom and pop in North Carolina, is given now that we have over 50 locations in nearly 10 states.

Quality

Fast food is characterized as easy. No effort is made by the person eating it, you just give someone money and within 5 minutes you have a full meal right in front of you. Quality is tenders being breaded and fried in house with our own flour and fried to perfect to order. Quality is the multiple house made sauces that come free with our orders. The house made salads that rival anything any other fast food restaurant. Fast food does not mean food without quality and we strive to keep that quality that is in our name in everything that we do.

When choosing where to get a quick bite or maybe for a place to dine in don’t look for golden arches or a crown. You don’t have to think outside the bun. Look no further than three simple letters: PDQ. Behind those letter are a multitude of People Dedicated to Quality who are ready to impact your experience from the moment that you walk in the door or drive through our line.

by Oriana

Everyone Benefits from Local Thrift-Shopping

photo courtesy of @flashbacksrecycledfashions on instagram

College is a time for self-expression. It can be hard to do this when brand name or high-quality clothing is so expensive. Thrifting is the best way to get the luxury feel without the luxury price, and Flashbacks Recycled Fashions is the premiere shop in Gainesville for your fashion needs. At Flashbacks, we have an abundant selection of modern clothing, but also sell authentic vintage pieces in great condition, mostly donated by the eclectic student body nearby.

There are several benefits of thrifting locally:

Find your Perfect Style

We are not just a thrift store, but also a consignment store. This means that we buy and resell hand-picked clothes that represent the best in fashion. Since Gainesville is filled with young and stylish students, it is easy to find clothes that are cool and modern, unlike the big box thrift stores that are often filled out outdated and unappealing apparel. At Flashbacks, you are guaranteed to find unique pieces that will make your style stand out.

photo courtesy of @flashbacksrecycledfashions on Instagram

Imagine going into your closet and being able to decide who you were going to be that day. By shopping with us, you can change your style with more ease than a regular store. Instead of being limited to trends, Flashbacks offers so much more to customers. Interested in plaid, but don’t want to break the bank to later discover it’s not your thing? Take it for a spin here knowing you’re going to get something stylish and durable for a low price. Worst case scenario, you sell it back and it’s not a total loss.

photo courtesy of @flashbacksrecycledfashions on Instagram

If modern fashion isn’t your thing, you’re still in luck! We have an entire section dedicated to authentic vintage clothing in mint condition. It is trendy to be wearing clothes from the past, and major stores sell clothes that are vintage inspired for premium prices. Here, you can buy authentic vintage pieces for a fraction of what it would cost you to purchase fake ones. When you shop with us, you can discover pieces such as leather jackets, pin-up dresses, bell-bottom jeans, and fur coats that were made decades ago and are coming back into style.

photo courtesy of @flashbacksrecycledfashions on Instagram

Support Your Community

Flashbacks has been a Gainesville staple since 1986, when former gator Steve Nichtberger used his finance degree to open up Flashbacks Recycled Fashions Inc. because he wanted to create a spot where people could enjoy themselves while shopping and build lifelong relationships with fellow customers. Most of the profits that Flashbacks makes gets recycled back into the Gainesville community, unlike larger thrift stores where you aren’t able to know exactly where your money is going. All of our supply comes from the community, so we are always supporting other local establishments in order to give back.  Many chain stores, on the other hand, have the tendency to get their goods from corporate, and are often not as personally invested in buying local. By supporting us, you’re also supporting your favorite coffee shops, pizza restaurants and nightclubs at the same time.

photo courtesy of google street view

Before you decide to shop at department stores or thrift store chains, consider that thrifting locally is better for your community, is more sustainable, and the best way to find something unique that will impress all of your friends. At Flashbacks Recycled Fashions, you know that you are always going to find something that perfectly defines your style without a hefty price tag.  

by gabrielaharmon

The Hidden Gem of Libraries

To all students who love fiction or once did, the hidden gem in Gainesville that you need to know about is the Alachua County Library.

While all of the libraries on campus will supposedly order any book from any library in the state, this has never worked for me in practice. The only books that I have found in UF libraries are educational and nonfiction – but who wants to read more heavy literature in college than required? Throughout my freshman year, I struggled to find fiction, leisure books in the libraries on campus and buying more books than necessary is not an appealing option.

Two months ago, I became a member of the Alachua County Library. The Alachua County Library has almost all of the must-read titles that I have been collecting over the past year. I also submitted a purchase recommendation for a novel that I couldn’t find and received an email from the library a week later saying that the novel had been purchased and put on hold for me to pick up at the Headquarters in downtown Gainesville.

WHY?

  1. It’s free. As long as you are a resident of Florida, which qualifies all students at the University of Florida, it is completely free to get a library card at the Alachua County Library.
  2. More than just books. In addition to novels, members of the Alachua County Library can also rent DVDs, reserve a computer, use the eSources, and download eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and music. The library also hosts events including Author Series that brings nationally renowned authors to Gainesville. For students, the Alachua County Library offers unique programs including Girls Who Code tutoring sessions and Tax Assistance. Students can choose to participate or volunteer in these programs.
  3. Giving back to Gainesville. The Alachua County Library is the only public library in Alachua County, which has a population of around 250,000 people. Funded by tax-payer dollars, the Alachua County Library has 12 branch locations, two bookmobiles, and multiple deposit collections. As listed by the American Library Association, some of the economic and social benefits of public libraries are: collection of materials for public use; support of educational programs; educational benefits of the library’s mission including literacy of the citizenry; technology for use in the library; employment of the expertise of the library staff; library facility as a community gathering place; “halo” spending by library users at establishments close to the library; value of a library’s enhancement to neighborhood real estate and community partnerships. In addition to the service opportunities offered, simply supporting the library is a small way that you can give back and connect with the Gainesville community.

WHERE, WHEN & HOW?

To register as a member of the library, bring any current photo ID with Florida address or any other verification of residency (UF students from out-of-state qualify.) The Headquarters Location is conveniently located in downtown Gainesville and is open from 9:30AM-9 PM Monday-Thursday, 9:30AM-6PM on Friday, 9:30AM-5PM on Saturday and 1PM-5 PM on Sunday.

Being able to read more as a member of the Alachua County Library has reminded me of my love for fiction and helped me escape the stresses of college. As a member of the Alachua County Library, I also feel more connected to the community, and Gainesville feels more like home than ever.

by cassidymizell1

The Origins of Coffee Shops: a Look Into History

What is beloved by college students, businessmen, and philosophers alike? Coffee. Coffee has played an important role in civilization since the Renaissance. This energizing drink has been inspiring thinkers, businesspeople, and the common person for centuries, and today, there’s hundreds of coffee shops to choose from. So, how should you pick? To understand why coffee shops are so important, it’s important to understand the origins of the modern coffee shop.

The origin of the coffee shop reaches back into the 1500s. Coffee was first grown on the Arabian Peninsula around this time, and the first coffee houses sprung up in the holy city of Mecca. These coffee houses became a place of political discussion and discourse. The Imams, or Muslim priests, actually banned these coffee houses from 1512-1524 because they were believed to be a place of propaganda and threatened to the political regime.

Ottoman Coffee House via DrinkingCup

From the Arabian Peninsula, coffee spread to Europe. With the spread of coffee came the spread of the coffee house. Reports say coffee shops spread to Vienna in 1529, where sweeteners were first added to coffee, then to Damascus in 1534, and to Constantinople in 1555. Eventually, coffee houses distributed across the rest of Europe and served similar purposes as they did on the Arabian Peninsula. According to French traveler Jean Chardin, these coffee houses were a place for sharing news, conducting business, discussing politics, and storytelling.

By the 17th Century, coffee, tea, and chocolate had made its way to England and allowed for coffee houses to open across the country, the first being in 1652. From this point, they exploded in popularity and became common across England. They became wildly popular because these shops were one of the only communal spaces in England that did not involve the consumption of alcohol. Before coffee, taverns were a common place to meet, yet, because clean water was hard to come by, many people drank beer. In coffee houses, the boiling of water for coffee and tea created safe to drink and non-intoxicating drinks. In England, much like elsewhere, coffee houses were a place to gather, discuss politics and philosophy, conduct business, and share stories, without the drunken atmosphere commonly found in pubs and taverns of the time.

English Coffee House via Brewminate

In the United States, coffee became the beverage of choice after the Boston Tea Party, and even Thomas Jefferson proclaimed: “Coffee—the favorite drink of the civilized world.” These coffee houses became integral to society, and today they are still just as important to our modern world.

Today, when you set foot into a café or coffee shop, you still see people experiencing this communal space the same way they did over 400 years ago: by gathering with friends, co-workers, engaging in discussions, and most importantly: enjoying the America’s favorite beverage.

This shop taps into the essence of what these historical coffee houses were made for: community. Not only is Bay Island Coffee Company a staple in the Gainesville community, but helps support this camaraderie by providing a public space for people to gather without distractions. Located in a tiny shack in the middle of Butler Plaza, they strip down many of the high-tech amenities that one would expect from a modern coffee shop: such as Wi-Fi, charging stations, et cetera. Instead, they focus on the basics: fast service, cheap prices, and some damn good coffee. With this simplistic approach, this coffee shop brings together many different walks of life from around Gainesville: from Alachua County residents to UF students.

Via FourSquare

In a college town, it’s easy to be swept up in classwork and gravitate towards fancy Starbucks-like shops, but going to Bay Island is an experience unlike others offered in Gainesville. It is truly a hidden gem, since it is so unassuming from the outside. It is easy to drive by and miss it, but if you have not gone and experienced their seasonal flavored coffee selection, their delectable breakfast offerings, or taken advantage of their daily deals, you are truly missing out on one of the best coffee joints in Gainesville. If you are tired of struggling to find a seat at an over-crowded, loud, university coffee shop, drive a quick 10 minutes down Archer road and experience the best Gainesville has to offer in a friendly, communal environment. Once you try some of their offerings, you will understand why this joint has a cult following by many UF students.

Check out Bay Island Coffee Company, located at 3270 SW 35th Blvd. Make sure to take advantage of their great deals offered daily.

by camronlunn

March Madness

This Week in Sports Media

March Madness

Press Release: Week of March 11th, 2019

Gainesville, March 16, 2019, Internet

Conference Championships are on the line in NCAA as numerous teams push to one of the most compelling spring sports spectacles, March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is about to tipoff next Tuesday so the sports world is looking ahead to the possible cinderella stories that could captivate the nation in the coming weeks. Here are this week’s articles that set the stage for the best amatuer basketball tournament in the world and highlight other important conference championship stories.

The article with the most insight into its subject matter was “Brando revisits unforgettable ACC Tourneys including the day Dean Smith chided a Virginia player” by David J. Halberstam. Halberstam talks with Tim Brando, an analyst who will be commentating on the Atlantic coast Conference tournament for the last three decades. Brando will stop covering the tournament after this year because ESPN will start sole coverage of the event and the company that Brando works for, Raycom, will stop their coverage. Brando lists some of his favorite moments in covering the tournament and discusses the life-long memories that he has made during his experience. Brando finished off one of his anecdotes with the sentence “Ya’ never forget moments like those”. It is clear to see that Brando’s time broadcasting the ACC tournament mean very much to him.

Seeing someone who has spent so long in the field of sports broadcasting reminisce about some of his favorite moments over his entire career is really something that is inspiring to see. One that aspires to be in this profession would agree that anecdotes like the one’s shared in the article are stories that anyone in the field would strive to call their own. It is a shame to see a broadcaster have to stop working because of a licensing agreement, but Brando does not express any harshness or bad feelings in the article and that is good to see.

The goal of Sports Broadcast Journal (Initially Sports Announcers Report Card) is to serve a mix of announcers, executives, producers, and other interested followers of sports broadcasting, podcasting, webcasting, and the growing world of digital media.

William Camron Lunn Twitter:@CamronLunn Email:Camron12@ufl.edu

by Oriana

Marie Kondo Floods Thrift Stores with Unwanted Items

Photo courtesy of the herald-dispatch

The reality TV show on Netflix “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” has taken the world by storm since it first aired in January 2019. This minimalist home improvement show has revolutionized the tidying up game, and all of a sudden everyone has begun cleaning out their homes of anything unwanted. In the show, Kondo stresses only keeping items that “spark joy”, which entails for a lot of stuff to be thrown out or donated.  Although this sounds great for the person cleaning out their home, it’s not so great from thrift store employees, who are suddenly being hit by a colossal wave of donations.

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Goodwill Industries International Inc., which operates used-goods stores across the U.S. and Canada, said January donations rose by more than 32% in Washington, 22% in Houston, 20% in Roanoke, Va., and 16% in Grand Rapids, Mich,” which is right around the time the show first aired. Donations are obviously a huge part of a thrift stores business, but recently the surplus of donations has been too much for the workers to handle. It is their job to sort through all of the donations that the store receives and they are also finding that a lot of the donations contain items that are inappropriate or unsellable. Some stores have even asked people to hold off on donations so that they can get through the backlog.  

If we don’t want them, and thrift stores don’t always want them, then what are we supposed to do with our unwanted items? Kondo is now proposing a new step to the decluttering method which, according to her, “encourages reflection on waste and action when it comes to reducing, reusing, recycling and respecting.” Instead of asking if something sparks joy when you are getting rid of it, you must ask if it will spark joy when you are purchasing it. Many times, people just buy things that they don’t really want or need, which is the reason they end up with so much junk in their homes in the first place.

For more on this, check out Rachel Pannett and Rhiannon Hoyle’s article “Marie Kondo Isn’t Sparking Joy for Thrift Stores”, Wall Street Journal (Mark 6, 2019). https://www.wsj.com/articles/marie-kondo-persuaded-you-to-jettison-your-junk-thrift-stores-sayenough-11551889124?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=2

by agosser

Will Travel Agencies Become Popular Again?

Adventure travel is a type of tourism where travelers engage in outdoor recreation with the help of adventure tour operators. This form of travel involves any kind of recreation that takes place outside, according to an adventure travel activity database, Go Adventure Outdoors. Jeri Clausing, of Travel Weekly, gives insight about the adventure travel booking process in her article “Study Shows Potential for Agents to Sell More Adventure Travel.”

pexels-photo-372098

A survey of adventure tour operators was taken through the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) in 2018. With the help of the Travel Leaders Companion Survey Digest, results indicated that while travel agencies have a business relationship with 87% of operators, the agencies only book fewer than 30% of adventure travel for clients.

While 30% is not promising, the future for travel agencies could get brighter. According to ATTA’s regional director for North America, Russell Walters, “There is clearly a demand from adventure tour operators to work with specialist travel advisors. The findings in the report demonstrate areas where operators and travel agents can work together…”

For this to happen, though, the system cannot operate as it currently is. Firstly, travel agents need to learn the ins and outs of the adventure travel industry. Clausing writes that travel agents currently lack specialization within this field. A greater understanding of adventure travel would incentivize adventure tour operators to further their business with agencies.

Even more, survey participants indicated that travel agencies’ commission rates should be lowered if agents do not have experience with adventure travel. Clausing writes, “…operators also suggested that the traditional commission model is unfair when an advisor simply makes a referral and the tour operator does everything else.”

In other words, the biggest takeaway of this article is that hope for travel agencies is not lost. They have the potential to form successful partnerships with adventure tour operators, but this can only happen if agencies are more open to learning from the operators. If travel agents don’t consider lowering their costs and collaborating more with the operators, their usage could remain at its current rate of 30% of bookings.

To read the whole article, check out Jeri Clausing’s “Study Shows Potential for Agents to Sell More Adventure Travel” Travel Weekly, (Mar 14, 2019). https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Study-shows-potential-for-agents-to-sell-more-adventure-travel

To learn more about the adventure travel industry, visit https://www.goadventureoutdoors.com/blog/what-is-an-adventure-tour-guide-75