Catalyst

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Like rats from a sinking ship LITERATURE DEPARTMENT SEES CHANGES by Nick Napolitano The imminent departures of literature professors Maureen Harkin and Robert Knox as well as the decision to turn Professor Knox's American and British literature position into a French language and literature position, has many students, and a few faculty members, speculating over the department's future. Controversy arose earlier in the year when, after much debate, the Humanities Division decided to replace Knox's faculty line. Literature students who learned of this were outraged, calling it "a blow to the department." Knox, however, doesn't "see this as a crisis of any sort. He noted that "the literature group is in transition" and that the new line would "offer the opportunity to reshape faculty resources available to students." Humanities Division Chair Magdalena Carrasco offers a different perspective by giving a little historical background. "Knox was replaced by Andrea Dimino [in 1986) when he went to part-time status. [Since then] we've had one and a half people in that position. We're losing that half now ... there were never any promises that that half would continue." Yet several arguments still persist among some of the students and faculty. Foremost among these is that literature is the most popular major at New College, and is also quite popular among non-majors as well thus creating a need for a fifth literature professor. Some wonder why the line wasn t given to the Spanish department, or to help an overworked Classics department In light of what has been done with Knox s position, Harkin's sudden leave-taking has opened up the question What will be done with her line? Some wonder whether it will be turned into another language/literature line like Knox's, or if the line will go to some other needy department. Carrasco has clarified things by saying "There is no doubt that Maureen Harkin's position is going to stay British and American litera ture." The exact specialties of the new professorship are not yet "LIT DEPARTMENT" CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Volume IV, Issue 22 March 7, 1995 BOD Y IMAG E DISC U SS E D by Kate Fink Students gathered in Sudakoff Center last Thursday to discuss Jenny Mckeel's controversial Hamilton Center display on body image. The discussion ranged from stories of personal struggles with body image to a more abstract examination of cultural gender roles and the definition of beauty. The discussion was conducted in a "fishbowl" format, in which one group, in this case, men, sat in a circle and dis cussed aspects of the topic which the women sat around them and listened. The two groups later switched positions, and finally rejoined to a discussion including everyone. Some of the men said they felt they objectified people. "One of my reasons for coming here was to try to make myself deal with the fact that I objectify women ... the immediate problem ... is how do we ... deal with that reality in our everyday lives to reduce the damage that conventional standards of beauty ... does to people?" Kevin Arlyck said. Andy Snyder disagreed with the notion of "splitting up the world into populations of those who are beautiful and not beautiful... in my opinion, it seems more desirable not to have a definition of beautiful," he said Snyder suggested considering the standards the discussion members would like to be judged by when trying to decide when appreciation of appearances became objectification. "It seems difficult because of all the standards being "BO DY IMAGE" CONTINUED O N PAGE 5 I n s ide This Iss u e Editorial ................................. ........ 2 Letters to the Editor ........................... ..... 3 New College Coordinator Search ..................... 4 Court Overturns Student's Ticket ........ ............. 6 Review of "Isabella" ............................... 6 Rocky's Rockin' Restaurant Review .................. 7 Graham s Asylum ............................... 8 Foundation Social .................................. 9 Outside the Ivory Tower ............................. 9

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2 The Catalyst March 7, 1995 Editorial Just when )'OU thought it was safe to go back to Viking ... Morgen Dieringer moved from the Pei Donns to Viking about two weeks ago It has been a learning experience. In the past two weeks she has been harassed, solicited, and pelted with an egg hurled from a moving vehicle. The egg left a bruise deep enough that sleeping on her back became painful. Her roommate, Tammy Mahoney, another ex-Pei resident has had similar experiences, though she has yet to run afoul of pick-up mounted egg hurlers. Passerby's try to pick them up "nearly every time" they cross 41, says Dieringer. Night or day, it doesn't matter. This may not come as a surprise to those of us who have been here awhile. Most students know that North 41 is Prostitute Alley, and that is usually unwise to traverse said highway at night without an escort. What many of us don't know, however, is that 41 is not the only local hot-spot for arse holes looking to get jollies. Last week, Dieringer was riding her bike back from Caples at night when a blue pick-up truck began to follow her. The truck slowed to a crawl. drove around her a couple of times, and then gave her a gentle love tap from behind, sending her spraw l ing and bruising both her body and her psyche. On another occasion, she noted a truck that had been following her pull into the Ringling parking lot, where the driver commenced to disembark from his vehicle and began masturbating in full view. We are often lulled into a false sense of security by the chummy, dysfunctional Brady Bunch atmosphere of our happy campus. Don't be fooled, ladies and germs We live in a bad neighborhood. It ain't the hood, but 34243 is not 90210. If you're a student and you're female and you need to get down to Viking or Caples, get a ride from the police or a friend, or at least find a large, burly friend to accompany you A certain mop-headed columnist for this paper can often be located for such purposes. By the by, even if you're male you ought to watch your back. It's a strip mall jungle out there. And that's no joke. There will be no SAC minutes this issue as no copy of them was released either to the Catalyst or placed o n the Student Government board. The C a talys t General Editor: Ken Burruss Managing Editor: lien Zazueta-Audirac StaffWriters: Graham Strouse, Rocky Swift, Jake Reimer, Byron Hartsfield, Kate Fink, Meg Hayes, and Nick Napo l itano. Layout: Kelcey Burns and Mic h ae l H u tch Business Manager: Anjna Chauhan and Adam Rains The Catalyst is also available on-line at http://www.sar.usf.edu/-reffell/catalyst/catalyst.html Direct inquiries/submissions to our Computer Guy, James Reffell (reffell@virtu.sar.usf.edu) Co-Sponsored by Dean and Warden Michalso n and Professor Vesperi Letters to the Editor should be submitted on disk if possible, if not then in type, to Box 75, the Catalyst envelope on the door of the Pub l ication R oom, or mailed to: 5700 N Tamiami Trai l Box 75 Sarasota, FL 34243 The Catalyst reserves the right to edit submissions for reasons of space or clarity.

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The Catalyst February 28, 1995 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Annoyed in Pei Dear New College students, There seems to be some kind of conspiracy afoot to make life hell for the students at New College. I say this because certain irritating occurrences over the past couple of weeks have in combination, really pissed me off. Those things that caused me to go from being serenely apathetic to easily annoyed still exist-or don't ... the fire-hazard stairs are still missing in front of first and second courts (reallyit's so much safer to be stumbling over uneven piles of dirt and rock), and the pool remains closed in the evenings (hey why have the pool open at night when you can break your neck climbing a locked gate because you really want to swim?). But that is not all ... Last Thursday my roommate and I are trying to sleep through the noise of pounding hammers and screeching power saws emanating from somewhere in third court when Mark Johnson comes by to notify us that someone will be coming by soon to replace our fire alarm. We ask him if the workers could come by later; he apologizes for waking us and leaves. In the next two hours my sleep is disturbed not only by the ever-louder construction from outside but also by three visits from the brilliant workers who want to know if I'm "awake yet." By their fourth visit, I'm definitely awake-I decide to hell with my nap. I tell the workers I'll be out of the room in fifteen minutes ... only to have them tell me that they're moving to a different set of rooms Maybe someone can tell me why the lights over the Ham Center couches in front of the Student Affairs offices have been turned off at night (miraculously, the lights over the couches in front of the Fishbowl, which were off the better part of last semester, are on again). These couches are among the few relatively peaceful places I can work in the wee morning hours. When I couldn't work there I found myself wasting too much time searching for a place to study, only to be forced again and again by syrup-covered tables, music blaring from the pool room, and a lounge full of people watching Star Trek. Please could someone turn the lights back on? You can add to the list of things that get my goat last Friday's power outage (though the fireworks at the Wall were pretty cool), out-of-order washing machines, and the techno-DJ Wall in Ham Center last Saturday night. The point of this diatribe is! I'm tired of all this shit and want it stopped. So I'll start by complaining, in hopes that other annoyed people will start complaining as well and that somehow the stairs will return, the lights will come back on, and I'll be able to sleep or swim any time I want to Sara Foley Gender Studies Program Dear New College folks: This term a bunch of students (Arin Mason, Mala Ghoshal Amy Laitinen and Craig Willse) are working to organize a more formal Gender Studies program for New College. In addition to lobbying for an official area of concen tration listing and maybe even for a new professor and/or program coordinator, we want to help students working on gender studies stuff network and communicate amongst our selves. We think it would be cool for us all to know what types of projects, tutorials, ISPs etc. have been going on so we can share our ideas, inspirations, information with each other. One thing we want to share with the community is the Gender Studies Collective, a collection of books and magazines (includ ing women's literature, feminist theory and queer stuff) in the library which a lot of students don't even know exists. On Wednesday, March 8, from 3:45-4:30 there will be a reception with free food in front of the library so that everyone can find out just where this great resource is. At 4:30 we would like to meet with folks who have done any work in the area of gender studies tutorials, classes, papers, whatever so that we can compile and share this information. There are a whole lot of us doing gender studies, in varying forms and degrees, and it seems that letting each other know what we've been up to and sharing syllabi and stuff will make it a whole lot easier to pursue these studies So, even if you haven't done any gender studies in the past, but think it sounds interesting, please join us for food and conversation. Everyone is welcome. If you've got questions or can't make the meeting but are interested, drop a note in box 253 or talk to any of us. Thanks. Craig Willse Stop Smoking, Lose Weight, Improve Memory The Easy Way, With Hypnosis Why suffer with Cold Turkey or Starvation cures? Hypnosis can remove your desire to smoke or over eat and can help you enjoy exercise Overcome Test Anxiety Poor Study Habits, Improve Your Memory and Achieve Your True Potential. Jerry M Campbell, CH Board Certified Hypnosis Student Discount with Ad Call Today for a Free Consultation 750-6553

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4 The Catalyst March 7, 1995 "LIT DEPARTMENT" CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 known. ''There are no fixed priorities-it changes from year to year." The search process for that spot will not yield a candidate until the fall of 1996. This then prompts the question: ''Who will temporarily fill in until a tenure track replacement is found?" Several rumors have posed interesting solutions: Professors Knox or Dykstra would do it; Laura Olson, who has a degree in comparative literature, would stay another year; a visiting professor from MCC would stay for a while; the spot would stay empty for a year. As it turns out, none of these are true. According to Carrasco, the search committee will "write letters to the leading graduate departments and ask for recommendations." A student who is on his or her way to getting their Ph.D. will stay for a year. "This will be a full-scale substitution," she reassures, "not an adjunct position [like Susan Fryback's] ... we know that was a disaster." The replacemen; will teach classes, sponsor contracts, and offer tutorials and IRPs. Professor Harkin will begin work at Stanford University in the fall, where she will teach 18th Century British literature. Her reasons for accepting their offer include increased research opportunities, financial benefits, the chance to work with graduate students, more teaching in her specialization, and the occasion to interact with other professors in her field. Professor Harkin said that "New College has been an interesting environ ment to learn how to teach," and that she will miss the special relationship students share with the faculty. Robert Knox has been a profe3sor at New College since its second year. "I feel contented with my 30 years. I'm quitting at a time when I feel good about the students and what I'm doing. This, to me, is a happy time to go out." When asked about plans for the future, he replied that "they were a little uncertain," but might hopefully include working as a professor Buy Sell Trade Downtown Sarasota 1488 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 U.S.A. Open 7 Days A Week (813) 366-1373 NEW COLLEGE IN SEARCH OF COOR DINATOR (YEAH, NO KIDDING) by Rocky Sw1jt The meeting last Thursday to define the future role of the Student Activities Coordinator carne to only one clear cut decision: more student input is needed. The position was conceived a few years ago by a student, but it has only been filled by one person, Mark Breimhorst. Mark served for only one year and faced the difficult task of creating the position as he filled it. Now that Mark Breimhorst is gone, Director of Student Affairs Mark Johnson wants to define the responsibili ties of Student Activities Coordinator more precisely before the search for a replacement commences. Currently, the job has been temporarily filled by recent alums Kevin Arlyck and Amanda Oswald. Mark Johnson headed the meeting that was attended by Resident Counselor Tim Richardson, SAC chair Adam Stone, acting coordinator Amanda Oswald, and ... me (ah, student apathy. The New College tradition). Johnson proposed a plan in which a New College alum with proper qualifications would nine month term with the option of summer employment as well. The benefit of hiring a New College graduate is that the position's salary could probably be trimmed because of the replacements lack of experience. Under this plan, two alums could be hired to serve as permanent co-coordinators. Mark also noted that he would like to see the position carry along a budget of around $25,000 to help fund student activities. Preferably, the new coordinator would live on campus to facilitate interactions with the students. The main point of contention is whether we should have an alum fill the position or go to a nationwide search to find someone from a different background. Adam Stone brought up the fact that most students would like a New College alum to head the position. The obvious advantage to this is that the new coordinator would not need any time to acclimate him/ her self to the New College environment. However, a coordina tor brought in from elsewhere could add diversity to the campus atmosphere. Mark Johnson says that he would like to begin the search sometime within the next few weeks in order to hire someone before the summer. He is asking (begging!) for any and all suggestions from students about what they want in their new Student Activities Coordinator. Adam Stone will post signs explaining the situation and asking for input as well.

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The Catalyst March 7, 1995 5 "BODY IMAGE" CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 applied to beauty," Craig Willse said. "I find that even if someone is complimenting me on the way I look I become conscious that I'm being looked at." The women's discussion was based more on the issue of personal self-image as it relates to body image. "I think at some point I learned to feel bad ... to feel like I was less than I was," Jenny McKeel said. "I had so many conversations in the locker room ... people would be sitting there, saying, 'God, I hate my thighs,' 'I'm so fat,' 'God, I hate my stomach,' and this is what you were supposed to do," Mala Ghoshal said. ''Why, in order to be included in social things, do we have to spend all this time putting ourselves down?" "It seems that ... the attractive look of a woman is whatever is difficult to achieve at that time," Sasha Zaretsky said, citing times in history when overweight women have been seen as attractive. "Now, it's so easy to become fat, it's really attractive if you're really really skinny." "Don't you think if it was available to everyone, it wouldn't be beautiful?" Lacey Torge said. "It's a mind set of a lot of people that anything.too accessible is mediocre." Some of the women cited a duality they felt between their minds and bodies, and were unsure how to resolve conflict ing feelings they had about their appearances. Zaretsky recalled an event for which she was dressed up, and was not sure how she should feel about spending time on her appearance, though she felt good when she did it. McKeel, who set up the Hamilton Center display, was pleased with the meeting. "I felt like there was a positive feeling to the discussion ... it was obviou;> that no one was at fault, so we weren't identifying a problem that is caused by any specific person, or class of persons she said. The display was titled "Your Body is a Battleground," named after an article featured on the wall. McKeel said she set up the display in hopes of provoking discussion about body image. "It's a domain that isn't touched ... it's viewed as private, as personal, when it's not; it's formed and conditioned by the communities we live in ... I'd like to talk about it in a public way." McKeel posted blank sheets of paper on her display for written responses. Among the fir::t responses that appeared were part of what McKeel called "indicative of a really hardcore backlash to feminism" on campus: the comments included, "This chick is buff!" referring to a picture of a woman in a bikini swimsuit. Shortly after these comments were written, a sign, which consisted of standard-size sheets of paper with one letter per sheet, appeared above the display. It read, "the uglier, the angrier." The sign was soon taken down, then hung back up, and then again taken down with some of the letters rearranged to form, "the angrier, the uglier," and, later, "I hit the Euglena." "I was just floored. I couldn't believe someone would do that," McKeel said of the original "uglier" sign. "I put up these intelligent signs, and I got this response ... these issues are serious, and I expect to be taken seriously when I talk about these things." Dwight Mann responded angrily to the rearrangement of the "uglier" sign by posting a response to those who had tampered with it. Mann said that, although he did not agree with the sign, he wanted to defend its right to be on the wall. He posted new signs that also read "the uglier, the angrier," to take the place of the original, which had since again been removed. Mann's response was met by more posted pieces of paper which said, among other things, that the "uglier" sign was not "in the spirit" of McKeel's display and asked Mann, "who appointed you benevolent guardian of free speech?" Mann penciled back, "We should all be benevolent guardians of free speech." McKeel was glad the "uglier" sign was removed. "' was glad people did something with the sign to respond to the fact that it's intolerable, this kind of immaturity," she said. Other comments on the wall included compliments and criticism on the display's choice and balance of images, meta commentary on previous student scrawls, and suggestions for other approaches to the subject. Lars Fetzek, for instance, saw body image issues, as well as issues like racism and sexism, as part of a larger problem. "To simply address these ... as individual problems ... rather than try to create a total overhaul of culture is to merely address the symptoms without the long-term benefit of eliminat ing the disease," Fetzek said. "I think it's a good thing that she [McKeel] made such a display, because only through the study of culture can we have the power to dismantle it." McKeel said she thought the responses Mann and Fetzek generated "got away from the issues we were trying to speak about." Though she liked seeing responses on the display, she favored verbal discussion because a paper discussion is "interesting, but often has nothing to do with the issues ... I'd like to see more people communicating like this."

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6 The Catalyst March 7, 1995 COURT OVERTURNS STUDENT'S PARKING TICKET by Jake Reimer It's October 26, 1994; New College student David White parks in one of the 15 minute parking spots in front of Ham Center. A few minutes later, he and friend are back in Dave's Volkswagen and on their way to Taco Bell. At the same time, first-year student Matt Olson is leaving the campus police station. He sees Dave's car and decides to catch a ride on the back bumper. ''As we were pulling out I saw this other friend of mine [Matt]," explained Dave, "As I drove off he walked up and ... caught a ride for about three quarters of a block." Enter Officer Steve Mislyan from the Sudakoff parking lot, as yet unnoticed by any of the three students involved. After Matt's brief ride, Dave and his friend commenced to "Make a Run For the Border" oblivious that the border patrol (a.k.a. University Police) was in close pursuit. According to Dave, Mislyan "pulled me over by the Ramada Inn and pro ceeded to give me tickets [permitting a passenger to ride on the outside of a vehicle and failure to show license] totalling more than $100." "It looked to me like Dave was waiting for Matt [to come out of the cop shop]." said Officer Mislyan. "He was asked to explain what was going on when he was stopped. If he had made a statement then [that he had not permitted Matt to ride on the back of his car], he probably wouldn't have received a citation." Dave disagreed with Mislyan's evaluation of the situation, and he had watched enough daytime T.V. to remember Doug Llewelyn's wise words. "Don't take the matter into your own hands, you take them to court .... So that's exactly what he did. "When you go to pay your ticket you have the option of saying you are guilty and taking the points, or you can take the officer to court to prove your innocence," Dave explained. "I petitioned to take Officer Mislyan to court back in December, and my case was just seen February 22." Dave prepared for his court date by taking pictures and drawing a map of the area where the incident occurred, by taking pictures of his car and by immediately writing down a description of what happened. His preparation paid off, and the judge dismissed the case on lack of evidence. Dave seemed genuinely impressed by his experience. Judge Wapner would be proud. "ISABELLA" A ROUSING SUCCESS by Meg Hayes So now we know exactly what will draw New College to any event: SEX. There was standing-room only in Sainer auditorium on the evening of March 3, when Sheila Bishop's thesis theater production, "Isabella, the Multi-National Sex Goddess," hit the stage. Bishop's character, Isabella, assisted by her two "Things," instructed the audience on the ways and means of better sex through following her divine Ten Command ments. The Ten Commandments are: I) No feminine hygiene spray! 2) Watch what you do and attention pay to what you say; 3) Talk dirty daily; 4) No muffling, unless muffling makes you scream; 5) Practice, practice, practice! 6) Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; 7) Worship the fish; 8) Respect; 9) Experiment; 10) Be joyful! The show, a musical comedy, made use of various children's themes (Mr. Rogers, hand games) in what turned into a rather explicit song and dance. Through the use of raunchy language and ludicrously sinuous body movement, Bishop comil)ented on both sexism and the goings on of the feminist movement. Both "Redneck Boy" and "Insensitive-Sensitive Man" became the brunt of awesomely funny satire and allowed nearly every woman in the audience (and perhaps the men, as well) to laugh at the expense of those profound characters they know and love. She also used the public forum to express her displeasure with the insensitive behavior of certain individuals in the New College community. Things One and Two, frrst-year Stephanie Martin and third-year Steve Wilder, performed the duties of several charac ters which Isabella intermittently scolded, provoked, encouraged and at one point hacked apart. Her two minions did the God dess' bidding, occasionally breaking into prose which her majesty tolerated with divine patience. Both Martin and Wilder performed with enthusiasm and intensity and seemed totally at ease on stage. Morgen Dieringer revealed her talents on the piano, and Heather Oliver executed the duties of stage techni cian. Audience members second-year Mala Gosha!, first-year Adam Rains, and fifth-year Graham Strouse were called upon to execute sex-strengthening exercises, led by "Coach" Wilder. "Isabella, The MultiNational Sex Goddess" worked incredibly well within the context of New College; the audience really seemed to appreciate the personal references which drew them closer to the action on stage. Congratulations to Sheila Bishop and her cast and crew for a job very well done!

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The Catalyst February 28, 1995 7 ROCKY'S ROCKIN' RESTAURANT REVIEW by Rocky Swift Because of the strange and inhuman hours that most of us wacky college students keep, dinner time is often a subjective term Unfortunately, Sarasota is not exactly a town that caters to the lifestyle of people under 115, so once all the older citizens (and all the money) go to bed at 5 :00pm, all the restaurants close soon after If you have the munchies after 11: 00, there are precious few establishments available to hungry boys and girls Herein, I will attempt to rate the few late night food options open to students Of course the mainstay for New College refugees is Perkins. Overall, Perkins does have the best quality food, and it is the best restaurant to study in because of those "bottomless pots" of coffee. My personal favorite food item is the ham and cheese omelet. The omelet seems to be the best meal value at Perkins. Not only do you get hashbrowns, which is pretty standard, you also get a heap of three pancakes. These allow you to try the mysterious "twinberry" syrup selection in the Perkins troika of pancake toppers. The burgers are actually very good, but they are expensive as well as everything else at Perkins that is not on the breakfast menu. The waitresses have all mastered the art of ignoring your existence once they have left the check. Another drawback is all the damn college students! The last people you want to see when you leave campus is a bunch of fellow Novo Collegians in the next booth. Well, maybe the next to last thing--the clientele can get pretty scary when the nearby "Joyland" country-western bar lets out. While most of you have been w the aforementioned Perkins, few students have visited the closest (2 miles) of all 24 hour restaurants, The Pitt Grill. Perhaps this is because of the Grill's ominous looking sign that portrays a weird androgynous person bearing a striking resemblance to a leprechaun taking a big bite out of something (a sandwich? an omelet?). The Pitt Grill's strong point is definitely not the ambiance. There is a strange odor that is hard to place but definitely unpleasant. Don't try to escape it; the odor is everywhere. The Pitt Grill menu is, in fact, the Kettle menu. So are the plates. I have no idea what "The Kettle" is. Perhaps the Southern Kettle's uptown cousin? Who knows. But it is the Kettle menu selections you have to choose from. There are a fair number of appetizer options for the miserly. Breakfast choices abound and at generally cheaper prices than the late night heavyweights, Perkins and Denny's. The ham and cheese omelet (my selection) was a mere $4.99 with tax compared to Perkins exorbitant $5.30. The omelet was pretty good, but a bit greasy as was the paltry hashbrown complement.. My coffee was refilled only twice, which is hardly enough to keep the average student up all night. A few of my dining companions had less than complimentary opinions as well. About the best thing I have heard about the Pitt Grill is that their crepes and blintzes, which are supposedly superior. One fellow diner had an egg, hash brown and corn beef hash combination breakfast and mentioned that it was all pretty good though the hash tasted somewhat like an Alpo product. Personally, I did not find the Pitt that bad. It's good for a change of pace and for a few laughs, if not heaves. I dragged the same dining companions to the Waffle House, which is south on 41. I can honestly say that the "Awful Waffle," as we used to say in Georgia, is only for the truly masochistic college students. For those readers from the North who may not know, Waffle Houses litter the Deep South. They spring up at almost every interstate exit in the hopes of luring in hungry truck drivers who have no other food options at two in the morning. The Waffle House ("America's Place to Eat; America's Place to Work") has a two-sided, laminated menu. One side is breakfast; the other serves dinners. The waffles are pretty good, but then again they kind of have to be, considering the restau rants name, and it is hard to mess up a waffle. My selection this time was, once again, the ham and cheese omelet. Waffle House prices put the posh Pitt Grill to shame. The standard ham and cheese omelet (with grits, yumm) costs a mere $3.70, but the hashbrown option costs a steep $4.70. Perhaps it was just bad luck, but my unlucky compan ions and I had probably the stupidest server on God's green earth. If you are dumb enough to go to the Waffle House, avoid Glenna at all costs. Out of a total of four people in our dinner party, she screwed up fmu: orders. In its favor, the Waffle House does sport a pretty keen jukebox with all your country favorites. The clientele is certainly .. .interesting. The gentleman in the adjoining booth was wearing a "Professional Muff Diver" shirt that boasted, "No Muff Too Tuff." The beverages at Waffle House are thankfully satisfactory. Waffle House serves sweetened tea, which is a big plus for me. Overall, though, that special Waffle House quality does not quite make the long trip down 41 worth it. You are better off sitting in the parking lot eating gravel. Look for reviews of Denny's, The Southern Kettle, and The Buttery Cafe next week. Good luck and Good dining!

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8 The Catalyst March 7, 1995 CONSIDER PHLEBAS by Graham Strouse Perhaps it was out of respect for my lungs; perhaps it was simple masochism, but I got it in my head this year to take up running as a hobby. And run I have, three or four miles a day, four or five days a week, with a number of different partners (I've always been a athlete). I've had some very interesting conversations during these runs. Conversation, you see, makes those long miles melt away like butter. It makes you forget the burn in your lungs, the scratch of the rocky aspha1t on bare feet (another one of my peculiar habits-! run barefoot) Sometimes the conversations are light and airy, like aU ofF cheerleader, other times they're so darn heavy they sit in your gut like a Checkers' cheeseburger. One such heavy chat occurred two weeks ago My partners of the moment and I were galloping along Bayshore, puffing to the staccato beat of three cranked up hearts, when I brought up Greg Lougainis' recent revelation that he had AIDS Lougainis is one of my Olympic heroes Not that I've ever dived; it's just that there are a few athletes out whose sheer brilliance demands attention. He was one of those. Lougainis competed in mree Olympics, won four gold medals and a silver and displayed both timeless virtuosity and astonish ing grit. His last diver victory in the Seoul Olympics over a pubescent Korean diver in the 10 meter platform baited more than a few breaths. He is an extraordinary man, whose grace and charisma shunt away most of the public disdain that falls upon those who come out of the closet. Soon he will die. Lougainis is built a lot like me; thick chested, ripped up. In 1988, he was listed in the program at 5'9" and about 170, almost exactly my size. Soon his body will shrivel, his muscles will atrophy, and his cheeks will go hollow. Just like Arthur Ashe, the first black man to win Wimbledon, did. Just like Magic Johnson, the greatest point guard in the history of basketball, will in all likelihood. Aside from the fact that all three contracted HIV, these men have very little in common. Ashe was a quiet, educated father of one. He contracted HIV through a blood transfusion. Johnson's nickname inspired the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song "Magic Johnson"; a freaetic tribute that was as much a tribute to the star's legendary promiscuity as it was to his court skills. Johnson was, as they say, a wild man who caught and sang the sun in flight, and learned too late. He still smiles a lot. He's also married; has a child. Johnson has yet to manifest signs of full blown AIDS Like Ashe, Johnson is heterosexual. By now most people who read the papers know that one recent study projected that one third of all gay men under 25 will contract HIV in their lifetime. Furthermore, AIDS is now the number one killer of young people in America. Africa is infested. India is infested. Gay men and intravenous drug users still represent the biggest risk groups. Indeed, Mark Baxter, a 1994 New College graduate who did his thesis on HIV theory, found one survey of more than 60 couples who practiced unprotected sex despite the fact that the woman had HIV. Over the course of a year, only one of the men had contracted HIV and he was having sex with open sores on his penis from other STD's. Of course, that doesn't explain why so many presum ably straight men in Thailand are contracting AIDS from HIV infected prostitutes, or why AIDS among young heterosexuals is rising like a high tide. Perhaps it's because the much of the straight community still believes itself immune. Play chicken long enough and you'll stall before the onrushing headlights. Maybe that's it. I do not know. You've probably heard most of this before. You've also probable heard that there are New College students infected with HIV whose identities are (wisely) protected by the institution. You've also probably heard that literature professor John McDiarmid's friend Neil Zeron recently succumbed to AIDS. Like I said, this is nothing new. The reason I'm thinking about this now is that one of the guys I was running with is gay, and although he is neither stupid, nor to my knowledge promiscuous, it scares me a little to think that in a few years he may not be here; that any one of us could get unlucky with our dentist or do something with a sexual partner in a moment of weakness, and get stamped with a death sentence. Mortality does not frighten by itself. What scares me is the notion of a lingering death; the slow composting of mind and body that AIDS brings on. I look in the mirror and I think of Greg Lougainis and Arthur Ashe and Magic Johnson. I stare back at myself and I remember Phlebas the Phoenician who was once as tall and strong and you.

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The Catalyst March 7, 1995 9 SAC THROWS SOCIAL FOR FOUNDATION MEMBERS by Ken Burruss Students saluted the New College Foundation with a jazz social last Saturday night at Caples Fine Arts complex. By and large, which featured the James Todd trio and vocalist Christa Craven, went well. Foundation chaim1an General Roland Heiser was present along with several members of the Foundation, and three members of the Board of Trustees. Students and faculty turned out for the event, held under a clear, starry sky. Over one hundred attended. Everyone I talked to had favorable impressions. Heiser was "thrilled" over the social and it was his first chance to see the Pepsico Forum in use. Trustee member Dallas Dort hoped to see similar events in the future. Co-student Coordinator Kevin Arlyck liked seeing students and Foundation members mingle. Students Tal Greenberg and Rocky Swift liked the deviled eggs. This reporter liked the burgundy wine. SAC member Amy Laitinen and thesis student Karin Skousgard inspired the event, which was then funded by the SAC, according to Chairman Adam Stone. The James Todd Trio played jazz while second year Christa Craven sang. Craven stated that the band had been her ISP project with Todd, also a student. According to Craven, they had originally planned to perform a concert for students. When they asked the SAC for money, however, the committee sug gested they play for the Foundation social. The SAC allocated $608.60 to the band during the February 13 meeting. Even though General Heiser was present at the social, none of his staff were. Asked why, Heiser replied that the social was not announced soon enough for his staff to include it in their schedules, especially as it was on a Saturday night. SANFR.ANC I SC O STILE HEAL1HY MEXI CAN FOOD H30M&inSt. Sacuota. R. 366-9439 FAX 366-9538 OUTSIDE THE IVORY TOWER There used to be an unofficial tradition in Mexico that former presidents and their families were untouched by the law. Not any more. Raul Gortari de Salinas, older brother of ex President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, was arrested last week and accused of being behind the assassination of Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu last year. Massieu had been secretary-general of Mexico's long-ruling political party, the PRI. One of England's oldest and most prestigious banks is no more. Barings P.L.C. was forced to announce bankruptcy after one of the bank's traders in Singapore, Nicholas W. Leeson, ran up a debt of over a billion dollars by gambling the bank's money on Asian futures. The 233-year-old bank's clients included Queen Elizabeth II, who stands to lose a million dollars over the debacle. The Netherlands' most prominent euthanasia advocate has published an article telling how he did it and how you can do it too. Dr. Pieter Admiraal wrote a three-page article in the Dutch Journal of Medicine that provides directions for mercy killing and physician-assisted suicide. Dr. Admiraal claims to have assisted over a hundred deaths. The balanced budget amendment was defeated in the Senate last Thursday by a margin of 65-35. A two-thirds vote, 67, was needed to pass the amendment. The vote was only one short, until Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole changed his vote to "nay" in order to enact a parliamentary procedure. The procedure will allow Dole to call for a new vote on the amend ment before the next election. Republican Lamar Alexander declared his bid for the presidency last Tuesday. The Tennessee governor pledged to radically shrink and humble Washington's "arrogant empire." Physicists at Fermi National Laboratory in Illinois have isolated the sought after "top" quark. It is the last of six types of quarks to be identified, which are the smallest known building blocks of matter. Susana Blackwell, a "mail-order bride" from the Philippines, was fatally shot Thursday, March 2 in a Seattle courthouse while seeking a divorce from her estranged husband, who is the accused murderer. Timothy Blackwell, the suspect, also killed one other woman and critically wounded another. Mrs. Blackwell was seven months pregnant and was seeking divorce on grounds of domestic assault. The fetus was killed as well.

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10 The Catalyst March 7, 1995 A NOU CEME TS The Action Auction, sponsored l)y New College Foundation, has student job opportunities for the night of Saturday, March 18, 1995, from 5 pm until about 11 pm in Hamilton Center. $5.00 per hour. Ca h paid at the end of the night. Sign up in the trailer next to Robertson Hall. Only 30 openings available; don't delay. You must be able to attend a short pre-auction meeting on March 14 at 4:30pm in the trailer by the admissions building. ***** The next Rape Aggression Defense Class is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, March 18th and 19th, from 9:00am to 4:00pm in Sudakoff. Class is open to all female New College students, faculty, and staff at no charge. Class is limited to lO participants. Call USFPD at 359-4210 to sign up. * The USF/New College Library will be having a ew/Used Book Sale Tuesday, March 21, through Thursday, March 23, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Rita Kipp Music Room of College Hall. ***** The Center for Service Learning is having a representative from the Police Resource Center, which tutors and provides services to Newtown kid come to the Fishbowl on Wednesday, March 8 from 6:30pm to 7:00pm. If interested in volunteering, please come or contact Box 389. Transportation to the Center can be provided. ***** "Our Families: Outgrown and Ingrown"A six session group for students to understand more about themselves as a result of the families they come froM, the culture they're steeped in which will include doing a genogram, learning about family development and intergenerational patterns, family myths and much more. Karen Bailus Sacf, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, will facilitate the group. Starts on March 16,6-7:15 pm in Parkview House. Will also meet March 23, Apri16, 13, 20, and 27. ***** Women's Awareness Month Events: "Be an Outrageous Older Woman." Ruth Harriet Jacobs, author. Sudakoff Center, March 8, 7:00pm, general admission fee of $17 includes reception. ''Women's Sexuality: Smart Sex, Safer Sex." Marily Anderson Planned Parenthood human sexuality educator. Palmer Building E, Room 219, March 9, 7:00pm to 8:30pm. "A Century of Women." (3 videos) Library, Room 209, March 10,7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. "Building Bridg ." New College alumnae talk about their lives and careers. Sudakoff, March 11,7:00 pm. "Sappho's Sisters: Lesbian Poets of the Harlem Renaissance." Mary Katherine Wainwright, Manatee Community College professor of English. Sudakoff, March 13, 7:00pm. ''Survival Strategies for Women with Multiple Roles!' Panel discussion. Fishbowl, Hamilton center, March 14,7:00 pm. * A search is being conducted for Parkview Hou e's new psychologist. If you have any recommendations, or if you would like to comment on Rich Welker's perfonnance (he has applied for the position), please put them in Box #414. ***** Gay Pride Week keynote speaker Urvashi Vaid's speech transcription is on reserve in the library, along with other interesting reading. Check it out under "Gay Pride Week." Feel free to add any other relevant material. ***** Dave White will be performing a revised version of Ius monologue, If You Can't Brake. Smile as You Under!. in an attempt to prove that there really was life before ew College. The monologue will be a series of narratives about growing up in Mis ouri with unusual parents and even more unusual friend The show has been re-edited, reworked, and reblocked, so although the title and the storie are the same, this piece will be quite different from the first one. White will perform in Sainer auditorium, Saturday, March 11 at 7:00 pm.