‘Happy’ as we choose to be

By Sarah Williamson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The St. Augustine Film Festival brought us to our “happy” place this past weekend with a film by Roko Belic. “Happy” is an award-winning documentary that brings its audience around the world, trying to figure out the answer to what makes us humans happy.

The idea for this feel good film came from director Tom Shadyac (“Bruce Almighty,” “Liar, Liar”). He became interested in the science of happiness after reading an article in The New York Times about Americans being unhappy, regardless of their wealth. While sitting in his mansion somewhere outside of L.A., he got in contact with Belic and told him his idea for a documentary.

What a great idea it turned out to be.

SGA announcements

By Joshua Santos | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The Student Government Association meets every Tuesday at 9 PM in the Koger-Gamache Theater in the Ringhaver Student Center.

Club Considerations:

• The Chess Club, led by Junior Evan Gardiner, was unanimously approved after a short deliberation. The special interest club aims to teach beginners while providing a place for experienced players to enjoy a nice game of chess.

Carving Your Way

By Phil Grech | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Did you hear that? It sounded like the closing of a cave door collapsing into the ground from a cave occupied by a cave dweller. It sounded like a special effect from an Indiana Jones movie. Stick with me now. I’m going somewhere with this.

It sounded like someone was dragging a shovel over the cement. Remember the sound of shoveling snow? The shovel scraping against the driveway? It was like that, but slow it down. Yes, like that, a slow shovel scarily scraping.

Pro-life march a success, yet some business owners still caught off guard

By {Amber James} | gargoyle@flagler.edu

About 2,000 people made a stand against abortion on Saturday, walking a mile through downtown for the March for Life St Augustine. But one woman marched in her own way.

Barbara Trost sat comfortably in her wheelchair, overlooking the countless children playing on the Mission de Nombre’s grounds and the crowd that had gathered to hear speakers talk about the pro-life movement. The 77-year old Christian faithfully held a sign in her lap that read, “Abortion kills 8,000 babies every year in Jacksonville.”

Flagler making room for big class on campus

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

On registration day, Heather Cribbs logged onto myflagler to find that the class she needed to take was no longer listed. It’s a scenario that has happened more than usual this semester, from seniors to freshmen finding more classes full or taken out all together.

“If you can’t get into it or your classes coincide, then you kinda have to choose your battle,” said Cribbs, a junior theater arts major.

Junior Johanna Falzone, a fine arts major, also had the same problem. The lack of class choice not only made it difficult to schedule her classes, but also made her feel under-appreciated as an upperclassman.

Local produce serves health with authenticity

By Emily Hoover | ehoover@flagler.edu
Photo by Robert Heinrich

Sometimes I think I’m really paranoid. Sometimes I get the fear when I walk into a grocery store, such a deep fear from within, that I want to run back to my car, as if someone is chasing me with a blunt object.

It’s not about the sensory overload I experience when my eyes finally adjust to all the artificial lights and I observe consumers scrambling through the aisles, looking for sales, just waiting for the exchange of currency for nutrients. It’s not about budgeting, since I now live with my boyfriend and our combined income makes good food easier to afford.

The fact is: I can’t buy bagels without staring intently at the back of the package, looking for chemicals and preservatives. I can always locate xantham gum and high fructose corn syrup—oftentimes a combination of both—especially in food marked “All Natural” and “No Preservatives.” So I find myself putting products back on the crammed shelves, hunting for something not just certifiably organic, but really organic.

Men’s basketball trying to stay positive during losing streak

By Mari Pothier | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

Taking one game at a time and looking to the future is how head coach Bo Clark is keeping morale up among his players.

The men’s basketball team is currently on an 11 game losing streak with a 6-12 overall record.

“I think the big thing is to try to keep as much positive energy as we can,” Clark said.

Video: Saints basketball highlights