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ISUM goes hungry to help the hungry during Ramadan

The Miami Hurricane
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During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day, abstaining from food, drinks, water, cigarettes and even from getting angry and cursing.
“Interest has been wonderful,” said Minal Ahson, president of ISUM. “We are extremely excited that so many students, faculty and staff are willing to go hungry for one day so others will not have to.”
On Nov. 20, the Islamic Society of UM [ISUM] sponsored a fast-a-thon for over 217 participants that served as a charity for the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Six sponsors, mostly local families, donated one dollar per participant. This allowed the event to raise approximately $1000.
According to Ahson, for each dollar donated, six meals will be fed to Miami’s hungry. This means that enough money was donated for over 6000 meals.
“Through this event, ISUM hopes to increase the awareness of the significance of fasting and Ramadan, and also the awareness of those who are not as fortunate as we are to have food,” Ahson said.
During Ramadan, Muslims wake up early in the morning to have a pre-dawn breakfast meal, known as Suhoor.
At the end of the day, they take the Iftar meal, which usually includes dates, fresh fruits, appetizers, beverages and dinner, completing the fast.
Later in the evening, Muslims attend special nightly Tarawih prayers at their local Masjid.
Each night during Ramadan, approximately one-thirtieth of the Quran is recited in the Tarawih prayers, so that the entire scripture is recited in the course of the 29 or 30 days of the month.
While Muslims fast for the entire month of Ramadan, participants fasted for only one day. For some, though, even that was difficult.
Participants utilized the event as an enjoyable learning experience.
“I knew that it fed a lot of children,” senior Sheila Quigley said. “It seemed like a small price to pay for a lot of people.”
“It gives people an opportunity to feel how Muslims feel during Ramadan,” said recent UM grad, Sana Khan. “Hopefully some will feel enlightened by the fasting as well.”
“Fasting allows us to feel how others feel,” Khan said.
“It’s not just about feeling like Muslims feel during Ramadan,” junior Sarah Syed said. “It’s about helping others as well.”
“Somebody called me at 4:30 and was like, Can I please eat, I’m starving’,” Syed said. “I told her she could do it.”
“I’m a pretty plump guy so I can afford not to eat, but so many others can’t,” senior Ryan Kidder said.
Faculty was also supportive of the event.
“Whenever I teach about Islam and Ramadan, I always tell my [Religion] 101 classes that if you have never fasted they should try it,” said Professor of religious studies, Dr. Steven Sapp. “It’s a new experience.”

Leigha Taber can be reached at l.taber@umiami.edu.

War raises concern of possible draft

The Miami Hurricane
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As the Bush administration edges the nation ever closer to war with Iraq, students and parents alike are beginning to worry how military action might affect them and their children, namely by way of a draft.
The Selective Service System, or the draft, hasn’t been used since the Vietnam War. However, as more military plans are being made and more areas need to be monitored by peace-keeping soldiers, more people are needed to serve.
Under the system, all male citizens have to register for the draft within 30 days after they turn 18 and remain registered until they are 25.
This age range means many UM students would likely be required to serve if a draft were enacted.
Captain Jack Miller of UM’s ROTC office is not too worried about a draft.
“At this point it’s unrealistic to say there’ll be a draft,” Miller said.
“But if there is a war, the ROTC is the best way to serve. We train the future military leaders who are least likely to be sent overseas as foot soldiers.”
The ROTC is a cadet training program that offers a free college education and other benefits for a minimum service period to the military.
Also worthy to note is the fact that students who are far into their academic studies are less likely to be drafted than members of the work force, vocational students and people just out of high school, especially if they can show that their studies could someday help the United States (i.e., pharmaceutical research, engineering, etc).
If extensive military action were to be taken on Iraq, the U.S. would first send its Active Army, the people enlisted full-time.
Then it would send the Reserves, a group specially trained for emergency situations. Lastly, the U.S. would send the National Guard, a group that primarily serves on a state level.
If the U.S. still needed people to serve, a draft would be then be considered.
According to the National Guard, a draft is costly and inefficient because it involves training civilians with no experience.
Most UM students seem to be against going to war in general, and are therefore opposed to a draft.
“I’m a pacifist,” said senior Laura Voglesong. “Politicians should work these problems out themselves.”
“If there was a draft, I’d be the first one running to Canada. Well, maybe I’d be in the military band. But I don’t think Iraq is a cause worth fighting for,” graduate student Timothy Brent said.
Member of the Reserve and UM student Lloyd Reshard said, “If there were a draft, I’d already be over there. But going to Iraq is not worth it.
“The U.S. should never start a war, but because of my commitment to my country, if I have to go, I’ll go.”
Although women cannot be drafted as soldiers, they can be asked to serve in other ways and may still be needed overseas.
A female member of the National Guard and UM student said, “I won’t be asked to fight in combat because I’m a woman. I’d probably be sent as a nurse or some kind of riot control.”
Concerning a draft, she said, “If we need people, a draft is the only choice. However, the likeliness of a draft is small. It’d have to be World War 3.”
So UM students can rest easy about a draft for a while. However, those who would like to serve their country by joining the ROTC may contact them at 305-284-2870.

Jaclyn Lisenby can be contacted at jlisenby2001@yahoo.com.

Public support shaky for U.N. policy on Iraq

The Miami Hurricane
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George Bush properly articulated American xenophobia in a Nov. 8 statement following the passage of a U.N. resolution calling for Iraqi disarmament of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons.
“We are actively pursuing dangerous terror networks across the world. And we oppose a uniquely dangerous regime; a regime that has harbored terrorists and could supply terrorists with weapons of mass destruction; a regime that has built such terrible weapons and has used them to kill thousands; a brutal regime with a history of both reckless ambition and reckless miscalculation. The United States of America will not live at the mercy of any group or regime that has the motive and seeks the power to murder Americans on a massive scale.”
That is the perspective of the United States Congress.
That is the attitude of the United Nations Security Council.
Does the American public agree with this judgment?
The president has promised that, “if Iraq fails to fully comply, the United States and other nations will disarm Saddam Hussein.” On Monday, U.N. weapons inspectors arrived in Iraq from Cyprus to search for what they informally call “WMDs” – short for “weapons of mass destruction.”
On Friday, Bush warned that U.N. approval of a new resolution calling for disarmament by Saddam Hussein was a “final test.”
Unless Saddam fully cooperates with weapons inspectors, he faces “the severest consequences,” Bush said.
Throughout the region – from the Persian Gulf to the Horn of Africa to Central Asia – there are now positioned at least 63,000 U.S. troops.
Iraq faces a Dec. 8 deadline to declare the full extent of its weapons projects.
“The just demands of the world will be met,” said Bush.
Mike Cammarata, a junior majoring in biology, believes that “there is a reason they [Iraq] were put under restrictions in the first place.”
“The only reason they have weapons is to use them,” said Cammarata.
Dr. Lynn Durel, associate professor of psychology, argues that the resolution is “a good idea” in principle, “but there are lots of political ramifications.”
She believes that impetuous American opinion, tempered by the U.N. resolution, presents a more balanced agreement in foreign policy.
“There’s always been a threat, whether we recognize it or not,” Durel said of heightened domestic security. “We tend not to mobilize until things get really bad; then it’s all or nothing.
“Most Americans think we’re going to war – it’s a foregone conclusion.”
Durel hopes that there will be more thorough and sustained dialogue on the UM campus, including more active student involvement in domestic and international issues.
Dr. Jonathon Mercantini, a visiting assistant professor of history, is afraid that the Bush administration is “trying to find a reason to fight a war, not trying to find reasons not to fight a war.”
“I don’t think the costs have been adequately weighed by our leaders in Washington,” said Mercantini. “No one’s proven a link to Al-Qaeda; no one’s shown that he has nuclear weapons.”
Mercantini also expressed doubts that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein poses an international threat.
“Does he present an imminent danger to the U.S.? I don’t believe that he does,” he said.
UM Class of ’53 graduate, Captain Robert Henin, continues to audit UM courses fifty years after receiving his bachelor’s degree.
Although he’s a distinguished officer and veteran of World War II, Captain Henin strongly protests U.S. war with Iraq.
“No way. Absolutely not. No American life is worth spending for a country that is no immediate threat to anyone,” he said. “I saw men die and exposed myself to death on many occasions.”
“Nazism was a justifiable enemy- but oil is not worth any human life,” Henin said.

Sam Lockhart can be contacted at s.lockhart1@umiami.edu

News Briefs

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The University of Miami’s one and only televised quiz show returns for its second season. Taping for UMIQ is set for Friday, Nov. 22, with episodes airing in spring 2003. Episodes are as follows: #1: Greeks vs. Stanford, #2: Pearson vs. Eaton, #3: Mahoney vs. Hecht, #4: Apartments vs. Commuters. Winners from each episode will move on to the finals. Thousands of dollars are up for grabs. See www.umiq.miami.edu for more details.

With the recent re-opening of the second floor for parking in the Ponce de Leon Garage, all holders of current UM parking permits and temporary passes are welcome to these additional spaces. Stay tuned for future updates on the imminent completion of this expanded facility. As a reminder, the temporary parking lots located behind the Lowe Art Museum and across from the Daystar Health Center are scheduled to close on Dec. 7.

A Week for Life is an AIDS program to promote the celebration of life through education and awareness. The quilts produced by student organizations will be used in the processional at UM during the AW4L events Feb. 3 – 7, and then sent to Washington, D.C. There is no cost for your organization, only the time spent on creating the quilt. If your organization is interested in creating an AIDS quilt or if you have any questions please notify Jennifer McGarvey at j.mcgarvey@umiami.edu by Dec. 2.
Commuters: need a UM phone directory? Feel free to stop by the Information Desk on the first floor of the University Center to pick one up.

The International Business Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi will be sponsoring a Holiday Charity Drive for the CHARLEE Program, which provides services to abused, abandoned and neglected children. There will be collection boxes in the lobbies of the residential colleges and in the undergraduate business office, Merrick 104. Donate new and unwrapped toys, baby necessities and children’s apparel from Sunday, Nov. 17 thru Tuesday, Dec. 3. Be one of CHARLEE’s Angels, and help brighten the holiday season for a deserving child. For more information, please send contact Marline Olivier at m.olivier@umiami.edu, or Karla Cato at karlacato@hotmail.com.

Attention seniors, your time is running out to get your portrait in the 2003 Ibis Yearbook. Go to www.mcgrathstudios.com, password: Ibis, to sign up for a time. There is a $15 sitting fee.

The Wellness Center will operate on a reduced schedule during the Thanksgiving break. The following hours are in effect: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 6:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 28, Closed, Friday, Nov. 29, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Campus Calendar

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TODAY
Join the UM chapter of the Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society for the first annual “I Came, I Bid, I Won” silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund at the Rathskeller from 5-7 p.m. Items to be auctioned include two tickets to the UM vs. Virginia Tech football game, a Kaplan graduate prep course, autographed National Championship footballs and more.

As part of International Education Week 2002, come to Salsa Craze, a beginner’s class, in the International lounge from 6-8 p.m.

Need to relax and take a break from the papers and finals from the last three weeks of class? Then check out the Belly Bust at the Rat from 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Come relax and hang with friends during Happy Hour. Then stay for comedian B-Cole, 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. and dance the night away with the DJ from 9 p.m. – 12 a.m. For more info visit www.um-hp.com.

Come and be hypnotized by Craig Karges, 8 p.m. at the UC Patio, sponsored by Hurricane Productions, ‘Canes Night Live Late Night & Weekend Programming

NOVEMBER 23
United Black Students will be hosting a Black Leadership Summit today. It will be held between 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is for all students. Sign-up is in the United Black Students office Room 215 in the University Center. There is a five dollar security deposit that will be returned to you the day of the event. For more information call the UBS office at 305-284-2583.

Students enrolled in the University of Miami’s Public Relations campaigns course are gaining valuable work experience by conducting a public relations campaign for the YMCA of Greater Miami’s annual Youth and Government Pre-Legislative Workshop. The workshop, to be held tomorrow at the UM School of Law and the UC, will be the largest workshop to date, with approximately 400 high school students from Miami-Dade and Fort Myers expected to attend. This workshop will prepare the students for the YMCA’s 46th annual Youth and Government Conference in Tallahassee next February. There, students will learn the value of democracy by overtaking different governmental roles such as state legislators. This is the fifth year UM students will be handling the campaign for the YMCA. By conducting this event, public relations students have a great opportunity to gain work experience that will help them in their pursuit of a career in public relations.

NOVEMBER 24
The Pearson Book Club brings us Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of JRR Tolkien’s trilogy, at 6 p.m. in PRC Apartment 137.

NOVEMBER 25
International Night at La Casa Cultural, 7 – 9 p.m., first floor, Pearson Residential College. Come enjoy food with Asian, Latin American and European themes. This event is for visiting exchange students, international students, returning study abroad participants and others interested in study abroad or international study opportunities.

Patricia Ireland, former president of N.O.W, the National Organization for Women, and former UM alumnus will be coming to Eaton Residential College at 8 p.m. She will be hosting an informal conversation on women’s issues and topics discussed in her book, What Women Want. This event will be held in apartment 108. Refreshments will be served.

NOVEMBER 26
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the University of Miami School of Law will host an open house for prospective law students. The event will provide students an opportunity to tour the law school complex and to attend panel discussions featuring members of the law school’s faculty, student body and administration. Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. and the first panel is scheduled for 9 a.m. For further information or to register for the open house, visit the School of Law’s webpage at www.law.miami.edu/admissions/reccalendar.html or call the Office of Admissions and Recruiting at 305-284-6746.

WHO DUNIT Was it the vegetable medley or the herb linguini?

The Miami Hurricane
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As word spreads of the mysterious gastrointestinal illness that has plagued campus since last week, Student Health Services and the Miami-Dade County Health Department are actively investigating the incidents and are conducting a controlled study of both infected and uninfected students.
“We are investigating multiple areas with a focus on the Mahoney/Pearson area,” said Dr. Anapol, assistant professor of clinical medicine involved with the investigation at UM. “Although a lot of students feel that they got sick during the ‘Trip to Italy’ dinner, the incubation period for this type of illness is usually longer than a couple of hours.”
“We know that this is a type of gastrointestinal illness, but a specific illness cannot be confirmed as of yet,” Anapol said.
The administration has taken active steps to ensure that another outbreak does not occur.
“There was a group of workers wearing industrial rubber boots cleaning out the dining hall on Tuesday night around midnight,” Steven Webster, a student who contracted the illness, said. “I feel a little better, but I’m still skeptical when I go in there.”
According to Anapol, these types of precautionary measures have been going on since the first cases of the illness were reported.
“We took some initial precautions early on even though there was no immediate need to do so,” he said. “We cleaned the elevator buttons and turned off the water fountains around Mahoney/Pearson just in case.”
Throughout the week, representatives from the Miami-Dade Health Department visited the Coral Gables campus to interview both infected and uninfected individuals. On Tuesday, representatives were downstairs in the Mahoney/Pearson residence hall handing out survey forms and speaking with students about some of the symptoms of the illness.
“We are in the process of conducting a case-control study,” said Juan Suarez, regional environmental epidemiologist from the Miami-Dade Health Department. “We will be interviewing people randomly to determine different possible modes of exposure.”
Some of the students who have been infected have already conducted an interview with the Miami-Dade Department of Health.
“I did a pretty basic interview over the phone,” sophomore Johnny Rodriguez said. “They asked me what I had to drink, if I’d been out of Miami-Dade county recently – that type of stuff.”
“We are trying to get as much detailed information as possible,” Suarez said.
According to Student Health Services, approximately 30 people have sought medical attention, mostly for dehydration; however, many more are thought to have suffered from the illness, although they did not report it, said several students.
At least one person has gone to the emergency room overnight to receive fluids for dehydration, according to Anapol.
On Tuesday afternoon, WSVN Channel 7 News held a live broadcast on the UM campus and interviewed several students who felt they had been affected by the illness.
“We are confident that a significant enough amount of time has passed since the initial cases were reported,” Anapol said. “The window for the possibility of any secondary cases has passed.”
According to the Miami-Dade Health Department, at least two of those individuals who have sought medical attention have been Chartwells employees who work at the Mahoney/Pearson Resident Dining Hall.
“We want to stress the fact that these individuals could have been affected by a cold or some other unrelated type of illness,” Suarez explained. “Their specific illness has not been determined as of yet, and there has been no conclusive evidence to relate these cases to the students who have been affected.”
Suarez also clarified rumors of the possibility that this campus outbreak could be linked to the recent Norwalk virus outbreaks on the Holland America cruiseline.
“We are currently investigating the possibility that there is a connection between the two,” Suarez said. “Primarily we are focusing on the possible connection between relatives of students who may have been on board one of the affected cruises.”
“We are trying to pinpoint the specific cause,” Anapol said. “This seems to be an isolated event, although we have observed a couple of outliers.”
The Health Center has posted an updated health survey on their website, and both affected and non-affected students are urged to complete the questionnaire.
The results of the control group survey will be compared to the information gathered from those who have been affected by the illness.
“In situations like this, investigations and questioning could last as long as two weeks,” Dr. Anapol said. “Preliminary evidence specimens can take weeks to analyze after they are sent to the lab.”
As of press time, the Miami-Dade Health Department had interviewed over 60 individuals.
Preliminary results will be available Friday.
If you feel you have the symptoms associated with a gastrointestinal illness such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, fever and headaches you are strongly urged to contract Juan Suarez or Edhelene Rico from the Miami-Dade Health Department at 305-324-2413.

Hendricks says: readers get angry because they respond too emotionally

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I really enjoy teaching. It’s a lot of paper grading that I could do without, but by seeing other peoples’ problems and figuring out what makes them tick, it helps me with my own creative work.

Q: Your students must think it’s cool to have an actual author for a teacher.

VH: (laughs) Some are more into it than others. A lot of them won’t even touch my stuff, but others are fans and read the books.

Q: You’re an accomplished skydiver and scuba diver. Your passion for thrills obviously inspires your work directly, as your characters often take on extreme sports. Does it also inspire your writing indirectly? Do you try to capture the emotions of excitement?

VH: I live for any kind of adventure. I’ve been scuba diving for 26 years now. I’ve done everything from swimming in the Amazon to dog sledding in Finland to visiting Egypt. So yes, my characters are influenced by my recreational activities.
My novels are considered under the “noir” genre. The strict definition entails a dark, mysterious atmosphere, usually containing a love triangle and some kind of betrayal for money. My books don’t always follow that per se. Two are about scuba diving and skydiving (Iguana Love and Sky Blues, respectively), and those stray too far from the traditional noir theme. So those have been called “adventure noirs.” But my characters are generally dark and brooding, and psychologically twisted. So the “thrill-seeking” definitely has an emotional impact as well.

Q: What is it about Miami and this tropical area that makes a good setting for novels?

VH: Almost anything can happen here: things that could never happen in Ohio! Miami is a magnet for weirdos from the whole country. It’s just a really unusual place, a very sexy and violent city.

Q: One review of Iguana Love states bluntly, “This is not a book for the faint-hearted.” Do you include dark, edgy themes in your work for a certain purpose, even if it’s just shock value?

VH: I think I was encouraged early on. My novels are the literary parallel of an independent film; they attract a select audience, a certain group. People were so shocked by my early writing that I think I liked that, and it encouraged me to stay within my more fast-paced style. Instructors were always on my side, but students were getting upset. And once you start writing for a company, your editors keep expecting the same thing from you.
I think I simply like fast-paced, vivid, lively stuff. I’m really interested in violence. Passion and obsession are the two best motives for anything. Murder for money is not as compelling, but passion and obsession just turns naturally into violence.

Q: How would you respond to criticism of your work from people who might say it’s gratuitously dark and edgy, or too sexually provocative?

VH: Usually, people who have a complaint won’t tell me in person. I have gotten two terrible reviews from the Miami Herald. I think the problem is that people are not reacting rationally to my work. Mainly, I think, readers get angry because they haven’t understood the book. They are upset and giving me emotional responses; they’re responding to the subject matter, not my writing style or technique. I can’t take that seriously.

Jessica Misener can be reached at jessm02@yahoo.com

Mowack: Surprise, local promoter Nastie throws another wack show

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Mobb Deep was here, in Miami? The simple answer to this question is “yes.” However, for anyone who was not at the Hard Rock CafE last Saturday, I feel obliged to say more. First, the ticket cost twice as much as the flyer advertised. Woops, sorry, fine print: get there before eleven, otherwise… $20 later I was negotiating a “2 for $30” deal for the rest of my posse (rollin’ deep, yo!). After sealing the deal, Prodigy walked straight past me and out of the front door. This is when the hint of a scheme first hit me.

Slight uneasiness was intensified as Littles (Prodigy’s right-hand man) scampered down the stairs after him, wearing a homemade jersey that could have easily been jacked from a Pee Wee football team. Showing up at 1 a.m. was smart, as we only had to wait outside for an hour or so before the six remaining opening acts finished up. This gave me time to see the promoters nervously running around in search of Prodigy.

Around 2 a.m., more bad news was issued: the DAT machine was left somewhere!

It seems that Mobb Deep simply cannot perform without their pre-recorded soundtrack. So, some more opening acts stepped up and got booed off with chants of “Mobb Deep! Mobb Deep!” Which brings me to another question: What the hell would possess any business to have last call 20 minutes before torturing a room full of restless Mobb Deep fans with “305 ’til I mutha fukkin die!” shouted over and over again by the truly infamous, (I am not making this name up) The THC Crew.

I wanted to pity them, but they were so convinced that rhyming “5” with “die” was so hardcore and original that it was impossible not to join the few awake members of the audience in the rebellion. By this point, girlfriends were dropping like dicks at a fat camp for nudists – lifeless and sweaty. Then…all of a sudden – Mobb Deep in da house!

Woops, sorry, fine print: I meant to say that I heard Mobb Deep. When I opened my eyes there was some DJ playing “Shook Ones.” Before I could think it, the audience did it, “We want Mobb Deep!” and so forth. Finally, after bringing in police (great!) to back up the 80 or so people still using their legs, (the main promoter) His Mohawked Nastiness:

Nastie, pleaded with the audience, predicted his own firing, and concluded by assuring the audience that in mere moments they would merge with the Mobb. After 20 minutes or so, I get up to leave.
Of course, now Mobb Deep’s arrival is announced and everyone flocks towards the police. Well, much to the chagrin of anyone who knows that the Mobb Deep has 2 members – three guys showed up, and only one of them (Prodigy) was actually in Mobb Deep. The not so “Littles” of the other two looked like an Aunt Jemima thug – wearing bandanas representing the Bloods and Crips and rocking a hairdo last seen on Jermaine Dupri. Littles seemed convinced that everyone believed he was Havoc (the other half, who also raps and does nearly all production work).

A minute or so into the show, Littles must have accidentally hit Prodigy in the head with his bottle of Hennessey, because he forgot all the lyrics to his own songs. Much like any good showman, Prodigy improvised – first by letting the other two guys on stage sing his songs for him – then by sucking down a glass of Hennessey through a straw.

The coup-de-grace was the adorable machine-gun sound effect that he spat into the mic whenever necessary. After 20 minutes of intermittent drum rolling, Prodigy seemed far more exhausted than the audience. Every minute or so he proclaimed to the audience “Fuck that!” When he started stumbling around the stage with his eyes closed, I decided it was my turn to sleep. I stumbled out the front door.

Sven Barth can be reached at sven_barth@hotmail.com.

Editor’s note: If you have ever been to a hip hop show like this, take out your pent up frustrations by flame mailing the following addy: sleestackstudios@bellsouth.net. When we say flame mail, we mean go get those nerds on your hall, promise them girls, and put them to work. Rock the bells – HS

Sexual Education: I got burned, you could be next

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Let’s talk about sex. First, blunt, open discourse on sexuality is vital to the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). In the 1980s, America awoke to an epidemic that has come to embody the fatal worst-case scenario: acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS quickly gained a reputation as a disease for gay men. However, viruses and bacterias, unlike humans, do not discriminate.

A patriarchal and puritanical tradition within the United States contributes to how the culture responds to the issue of sexuality. In “sex ed” classes across the nation, boys and girls are separated for discussion of certain topics, leading to impotent discourse between gender lines. Some men grow through puberty not fully understanding the menstrual cycle in a society where beauty queens are crowned at early ages and men discuss and accept masturbation earlier than women. Accordingly, within the male psyche, exuberant sexual activity is validated, yet the vernacular “slut” and “bitch” are rarely employed on men. Issues concerning sex are trivialized and marginalized on the ground of morality, yet every human has a sex drive comparable to the
need for food, as Peaches would say.

The underground losers in the battle for healthy sexuality are people who contract STDs. And most teenage Americans know what to do in sex but often not how.

Since the onset of art history, erotic artists such as Madonna and Tom of Finland have sought to make people reencounter sexual stereotypes and taboos in a new way. In her widely acclaimed and highly prized book, SEX, Madonna, an intelligent, sassy feminist, exposed herself and her fantasies. She begins, “This book is about sex. Sex is not love. Love is not sex. The best of both worlds is created when they come together.” She also shows no restraint in commenting about STDs on the same page, “…but if I were to make my dreams real, I would certainly use condoms. Safe sex saves lives. Pass it on.”

Tom of Finland was born Touko Laaksonen in 1920 in Kaarina, Finland. When he began art school in Helsinki at nineteen, he created homoerotic drawings for his own enjoyment, then sent his images to a bodybuilding magazine in 1957 (under his pseudonym) and became an immediate success. Since 1973, he has exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. He has permanent collections in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the San Francisco and Helsinki Museums of Contemporary Art, and Turku Town Hall in Finland. His highly masculine homoerotic work redefines the space of the voyeur in art by embedding the work with sexuality.

Sexual discourse is one of the most combative methods for the prevention of STDs. Chlamydia (the clap) is the most commonly reported notifiable disease in the U.S. According to a 2001 STD surveillance report published through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), chlamydia has comprised the highest proportion of all STDs reported since 1994.

It is called the “silent epidemic” because three-quarters of women and one half of men with the disease have no symptoms. In asymptomatic women, chlamydia may result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is a major cause of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. In 2001, the CDC reported 783,242 infections from the 50 states and the District of Columbia (278.3 cases per 100,000 people).

The number of infected women is four times higher than men and the highest percentages of women who acquired chlamydia in 2001 are between the ages of 15 and 19 (2,536.1 cases per 100,000 people). The highest percentage of infection for men is between 20 and 24 years old (2,447.0 cases per 100,000 people). According to the pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, 4 million new cases occur each year in America.

Moreover, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis are easily tested for and treated if discovered before it is too late. In 2001, the CDC reported 361,705 cases in the U.S. (128.5 cases per 100,000 people). In cities, such as Miami, with populations over 200,000 there were 227.4 cases per 100,000 people reported. The highest rate among women is between 15 to 19 years old (703.2 cases per 100,000 people) and in men between 20 and 24 years old (563.6 cases per 100,000). Syphilis is a genital ulcerative disease. The rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis has declined by 89.7 per cent in the U.S. from 1990 through 2000 because of improved screening techniques.

Also, The South of the U.S. consistently had higher reported rates than any other region of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and (P&S) syphilis.
Moving along, the genital herpes simplex virus infection includes lifelong recurrent episodes of painful genital lesions. It may only be passed if the lesions are present and it is one of the most common STDs. The warts must be present to transmit the virus and most infections are subclinical-no visible signs. Asymptomatic men with HPV are hard to diagnose and usually go untreated and the warts may be detected in women with a Pap smear.

The right to open discourse about sexuality is not immoral-it is real. Whether it is on a college campus or in the bedroom, sex needs to be talked about. Art, conscience, and sexuality define who we are as humans and as the lines between female/male and gay/straight become blurred in American culture, Madonna’s double entendre breathes clarity: “Love is something we make.”

Alex Saleeby can be reached at claysaleeby@hotmail.com

interview: Dustin Orlando: Objex owner talks “lowbrow” and Bugs

The Miami Hurricane
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Q: How did you personally get involved in lowbrow art?
DO: When I was a little kid I would draw cartoons. Then I would get more expressive and make my own version of things. I would add a skull and crossbones on Mickey Mouse – just make it my own. I have always had a love for illustrative artwork.

Q: Where are you from originally?
DO: Los Angeles. LA is the mecca for this style of artwork. Most of the big money is there right now.

Q: Where has your art been featured?
DO: The cover of Street. I’ve been featured in Juxtapoz magazine. Also, in egotrip, but I don’t really want to claim that one – and in different papers around town.

Q: How did you go about purchasing Objex? Is it your sole source of income?
DO: No, I work full time at an art gallery in the Miami Design District. Objex is like a car I’m restoring. I wanted to see a certain kind of artwork in Miami. I had to find a way to get the art I liked in so I got my own art space. This way I can further my own art and other underground artists that typically wouldn’t get picked up anywhere else.

Q: How would an artist, say a UM student, submit artwork to you?
DO: Any artist can submit. They just need to come by with slides, resumes, etc – be able to talk about their art background, goals. They have to match the same genre that we’re trying to display. No still lifes or apples, flowers and shit. It has to fit in with what we’re down with. It’s like having a hip hop club and then a country act try to play there. It just doesn’t work. Anyone can submit art, whether we choose to display it or not is another question.

Q: What kind of clothing and products do you sell at Objex?
DO: We sell clothes by Counterpoint Garments and Trash Rape. We also sell records and CDs on Counterflow Records. We also have limited edition prints from the shows – and then stickers and hats for the art space.

Q: So what is the best about Miami?
DO: The good thing is that right now Miami is on the forefront for a new beginning. It is at a turning point from becoming more metropolitan and less touristy and nightclub orientated. There are different cultures, and eclectic people. There is also an influx of money right now both internationally and domestically. It’s basically on the brink of something major.

Q: What sux about this city?
DO: There isn’t a lot of subculture. There is a lot of culture but it’s mainly Haitians and Cubans. There is a lack of underground and street influence. There is not much of a metropolis to feed off of. This is what we need for the younger generation.

Q: Do you believe “lowbrow” art will last the test of time? And is it disposable or will it evolve?
DO: I think it will definitely stand the test of time. It’s like Bugs Bunny; will he stand the test of time? Of course. Lowbrow art is just going to take longer to accept. I think 40 years from now people will look back at it and see that it really represented the “tie” and it will hold a mark in history.

OBJEX Art Space: We built this city’s “anti-dazzle” forefront

The Miami Hurricane
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(Ed. note: For a Q&A with OBJEX’s founder, Dustin Orlando, click on Life&Art in the margin to the left.)

Objex Art Space is a low-key gallery in Miami that features art of the “lowbrow” genre. The art on display entertains a thriving metropolis of topics, never limited to one minimalist subject. Dustin Orlando, a 27-year old artist, owns the gallery, which is in its second year and now preparing for a hectic art season. On Dec. 7 the gallery is hosting an event entitled Stickin’ it to the Man.

“Right now art dazzle is the big thing in the art world – this show is going to be the anti-art dazzle,” says Orlando. “December through June we will have an intense lineup. It will be of an extreme high caliber that Miami has never seen.”

Orlando supports and exposes artists with a “decidedly offbeat ‘no rules’ mentality (that) exists among the subject matter, which is influenced by hedonistic sex, urban decay, political expression, outlaw-types, pulp art, beatnicks, and surfers-skaters.”

This art genre does not wish to mystify a viewer into an intellectual trance, but rather intrigue with color, kineticism, and populist notions. Roots imbedded in the art personify the streets culture and jump out at you with attitude-laden texture. This style was first seen with aerosol-based graffiti, but the art has now evolved into neo-graffiti. Neo-graffiti possesses the same concept of traditional graffiti but climbs off city walls and subways and into nurturing specialized venues. Artists incorporating this style experiment with a variety of mediums and have created a fertile underground movement that is bubbling with potential.

The usual suspects found in fine art galleries throughout Miami are missing in action. At Objex you will find a rare youthful hybrid of fine art and jungle fever lowbrow art unlike anything in the city.
Dec. 7’s Stickin’ it to the Man will feature seven artists from South Florida – all remaining true to the “anti-dazzle” tradition, but never remaining inside the bounds of predictability. Bacardi Rum is sponsoring the event, which is scheduled to have a live band, lots of interesting locals/artists in attendance, art, and a down-to-sleek-earth atmosphere.
Featured artists include Francesco LoCastro, David “LEBO” LeBeatrd, Skot Olsen, Sas Christian, Colin Christian, W. Kelley Lucas, and Orlando. Artwork by these artists will also be on sale.

The gallery is located in Wynwood between the Design District and
Downtown. Orlando and his peers are deeming this the “next big spot” for artists and enthusiasts. “It’s new and up and coming. We’re ready and trying to promote it at the same time,” he says.

Objex is located in an upstairs loft at 500 NW 24th. For more info visit www.objexartspace.com or call 305.576.6551.

Kira Wisniewski can be reached at kira@punx.net. .

miami book fair feature: Author Tim Dorsey hydroplanes through tropical crime stories

The Miami Hurricane
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Are you looking for a calm, relaxing Florida book that paints a mental picture of tranquility, sunshine and gentle waves lapping onto the shore? Stay as far away from Tim Dorsey as possible. His novels have been compared to the likes of Hunter S. Thompson, Carl Hiassen and Dave Barry, and he’s not a writer for the serenity seeker. His books are veritable meeting places for sizzling violence, rough politics and edgy social themes. If the crime-gone-awry content weren’t fiery enough, all of his juicy literary romps take place in the sweltering state of Florida. The 41-year-old Dorsey, now a resident of Tampa, grew up in the West Palm Beach area and tackled journalism before plunging full-throttle into the crime fiction scene. His works include Florida Roadkill, Hammerhead Ranch Motel, and most recently, Triggerfish Twist. Dorsey’s upcoming appearance at the Miami Book Fair International is fitting for this tropical author, whose novels are nothing if not packed with tasty local color.
Life & Art chatted with Dorsey about Florida, fiction, and plenty of dead bodies.

Q: We have to ask: are you any relation to Ken Dorsey, the UM quarterback?

Dorsey: (laughs) No, unfortunately I’m not, but I am glad that he’s getting the Dorsey name out there.

Q: Your website says you graduated from Auburn with a degree in transportation. That’s a far cry from something like creative writing or English.

TD: I was jumping around with majors. I knew I wanted to write for a living, but I felt that was a distant fantasy. I thought I needed something else. So I literally looked through the syllabus, and decided to just get any degree and get out. I was involved with journalism, however, and my senior year I was editor of the student paper.

Q: You have a background in journalism and reporting. How did that segue into a writing career?

TD: The creative writing was what I wanted to do first and foremost. I decided when I was 15 that I wanted to write wacky, satirical novels, which is a strange vocational choice for that age! I needed to get started in writing, so I went to the student paper in high school and wrote for a while. At college, I started corresponding for the school newspaper as a freshman. So I used learning about writing to start my career. I worked for the Tampa Tribune for about 10 years, then I left to start writing fiction. Actually, my last day at the Tribune was the day my first novel was published. Of course, I had a bunch of failed efforts and failed books in the beginning, but I wasn’t going to quit!

Q: You travel the state a lot for research.

TD: All the time. It helps me get a feel for the settings of my novels, as well as all different types of people. The star of my books is really the state of Florida, and then I just throw a lot of dead bodies around.

Q: Do you have a favorite part of Florida?

TD: I love the Keys, definitely. Also, a book that I’m working on currently is set totally in Miami. It alternates between present day and the 1960s.

Q: So you like the Miami area?

TD: I get goose bumps just looking at all the incredible landscaping, foliage, and architecture in Miami. It’s so unique, and just a really inspiring place. Actually, one of my older books involves the University of Miami-one of my characters gets involved in a scenario in the old Orange Bowl.

Q: Your next book is called The Stingray Shuffle, due out February of next year. Can you talk about that?

TD: Basically, a missing briefcase with 5 million dollars goes to New York City, and everyone ends up chasing after it. It really delves into Florida history, about the story of Henry Flagler and development of the railroads. It’s also about tracking down murderers, and at the end all the characters end up on an Amtrak murder mystery train and try to kill each other. I did a lot of travel and research for this one. I actually took the train down from New York to Florida.

Q: Your book Orange Crush contains straightforward, savvy political satire. Did your own views influence that kind of governmental cynicism?

TD: Yes, but I tried to attack everybody as to be fair. That was an uphill sell to my editor, because my other books are straight-up crime drama and this one was political comedy. We were worried about commercial value, but I turned it in right before the 2000 presidential election, and after the whole scandal broke out sales soared.

Q: What’s your involvement with the book fair?

TD: I’m speaking on Sunday the 24th, and I’m just going to read from one of my novels and discuss a little bit. I love coming to the fair, and this is actually my fourth time participating. I like to poke around and see Miami too.

Jessica Misener can be reached at jessm02@yahoo.coma

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The Miami Hurricane is the student newspaper of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The newspaper is edited and produced by undergraduate students at UM and is published in print every Tuesday and online everyday during the academic year.

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