£* pt r mbrr 17, 1993
Be wary of rabies hype
Melissa Hoopes
Guest Writer
There are many causes of para
noia, including the media. I re
cently read an article entitled "Ra
bies cases infiltrate N.C. for record
high" in the August 29, 1993,
Greensboro News and Record. The
article stated that there is a "rabies
epidemic infiltrating North Caro
lina through vicious bites and
toxic saliva." According to the
News and Record, "In Columbus
County, a rabid cat chased one man
indoors and clawed and chewed its
way through a screen door until the
man shot it dead." Please under
stand that I am not suggesting that
this event never occurred. How
ever, I cannot help but question the
accuracy of this account.
I will not try to diminish the
facts. Apparently, there have been
fifty recorded cases of rabid ani
mals this year. This is a record high
for North Carolina and almost
double the number of reported
cases at this time last year.
Rabies is a deadly disease that
attacks the central nervous system
of warmblooded animals. Humans
can be affected by the disease if
they come into contact with the
saliva of a rabid animal. However,
vaccording to the book Primary
Care Medicine, there have been
only one or two cases per year
where humans have died from this
Creative Resistance
Naomi Blass
Staff Writer
Little boys, and sometimes
grown men, call their penis Peter.
Women on the other hand have no
term of endearment for their va
gina. In fact, the associations in
American society with the vagina
range from outright hostility to
images of uncleanliness, unpleas
ant odors, and general negativity.
So why is it that women who have
never even seen their vagina con
ceptualize it as something totally
disgusting?
We live in a patriarchal society,
but let's narrow it down. The
American Media and Advertising
industries play a central role in
controlling and distorting women's
views of their bodies. An easy ex
ample, and one that is most decep
tive, are those tampon, pad, yeast
infection (Monostat 7, Gyne
lotrimen, how many are there'/
Suppository or cream?), douche,
and feminine deodorant spray
(FDS) ads that seem to run ram
pant on television. And exactly
what are these ads saying? Some
thing to the effect that women are
disease. Therefore, let's try to keep
the facts in perspective.
The article quoted some people
who were "chased" and "at
tacked." One woman said, "It was
like something out of a horror
story." Unfortunately, without a
first-hand observation of these
events, I find it difficult to believe
that these situations were as ter
rible as the victim suggested.
When I worked at two nature
centers this past summer, a col
league and I found two baby rac
coons searching for food. We dis
covered that the raccoons were
motherless. Within a few hours,
several parents and teachers re
ported their concerns that there
were some "rabid raccoons wan
dering aimlessly on the property."
These adults were convinced that
the animals had rabies—because it
was the middle of the day. My col
leagues and I explained that with
out a mother to tell them that they
were nocturnal animals, the young
raccoons were desperately search
ing for food in the sunlight.
There were multitudes of other
instances when people, adults and
children told me stories of a par
ent, spouse or friend shooting a
raccoon because he or she thought
it had rabies. I also heard tales of
people in the New York area in
tentionally driving off the side of
the road to hit raccoons. I could
not help but wonder where this
paranoia and hysteria had origi
walking vaginas and can be made
"naturally better," "fresher and
cleaner," and smell better if these
products are implemented. Imple
mented indeed! Over half of these
products involve insertion, a pro
cess which for some women can
span from uncomfortable to pain
ful. Exactly what does "feminine
protection" protect us from when
it has been proven that both tam
pons and pads contain a whiten
ing bleach that causes CANCER?
Who are we protecting when we
use this so-called "feminine pro
tection"? Mostly men and society
from having to register the reality
that women are even experienc
ing their periods, that vaginas have
more of a use than providing
sexual pleasure for a lover. Yet
when was the las! time you saw an
ad for Blue Star Ointment, or even
a condom, on television?
Condom?! Ii you've been watch
ing American television you may
not even know what it looks like,
let alone how to use one, or for that
matter, who's supposed to wear it!
Moving on to the American
Media and outricht hostility...The
only difference between art and
ser*pettitae*
nated.
In my opinion, the paranoia is
created by the ignorance of the
public as well as over-dramatiza
tion by the media. In the News and
Record article, there was a lot of
hype about the magnitude of this
disease. Yet the article did not pro
vide the reader with information
about preventative measures, pre
cautions, or an additional informa
tion source. During this past sum
mer, I did my best to inform the
public about what to do if they
think they have located a rabid
animal. I cautioned people from
taking matters into their own hands
for two reasons. Firstly, there are
certain procedures that must be
used to eliminate the spread of dis
ease. Also, there have been too
many unnecessary deaths of inno
cent animals. No person or animal
should die because of ignorance or
unwarranted actions.
Although numerous animals
such as raccoons, skunks, foxes,
and bats do contract this disease
each year, humans can take pre
ventative measures to eliminate the
risk of contracting rabies. Please
realize the seriousness of this dis
ease as well as the reality of re
cent events. Ignorance can easily
lead to paranoia which can result
in rash actions. Please protect
yourself, your pets and the beauti
ful creatures of the wild by becom
ing informed.
pornography is a matter of refine
ment Is there a significant change
of meaning between a Hustler lay
out of a women pointing a knife at
her vagina, and an art piece illus
trating St. George slamming a
lance through the mouth of a
dragon, while a naked, chained
virgin waits near by? The symbol
ism, metaphor, and meaning are
the same.
So what is the worth of the va
gina, the physical, mental, and
emotional value placed upon it by
American society? $4.99 at the
grocery store, $2.50 at the book
store, and free on Wednesdays if
you present your student i.d. at the
Museum door.
Frats! Sororities! v
Student Groups!
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Want in One Week!
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Movie Review:
"Boxing Helena"
Amy Newsome
Staff Writer
What a delightful movie. That
is, if you are into corny lines, bad
acting and a ridiculous plot. As you
probably have heard, "Boxing Hel
ena" has become something of a
joke among critics everywhere
(this year's "Hudson Hawk," per
haps).
Poor Jennifer Lynch. Who could
foresee it wouldn't become a box
office hit? A movie about a man
so obsessed with a woman that he
climbs up trees to watch her have
sex and then ultimately cuts oft her
arms and legs to keep her prisoner
in his mansion.
As I said before, the plot is
somewhat absurd. Julian Sands
("A Room With a View") plays Dr.
Nick Cavanaugh--a man so enam
ored with Helena, played by
Sherilyn Fenn ("Twin Peaks") that
he follows her around constanUy
and continuously phones her. Re-
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compiled by Louisa Spaventa and Becky
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ARTIST TITLE
1. King Missile Happy 14 1/2*
' ' ? ' Piece of Cake
3. Eugenius'-' '' i6omaiama I
4. The Sundays ' "I-: -d
5. Pigface ' 1 ; Fo'j.k
ChainsawJ ; Eiewnteen if .
Che BuiUort*an
fusing to believe that she is not in
teres ted in him, Canvanaugh trick
Helena into coming to his houst
Soon after, she is maimed in a ca:
accident, and in an operation at h
house he amputates her legs, a 1
later, her arms as well. Julia
Sands, it has to be said, is plain!
and sunply a bad actor. The lin
he delivers are unnatural and m;s
his character seem like a win,
Unfortunately, Sherilyn Fenn
not that far behind. Her to
bitchiness makes anyone worn
why Cavanaugh would be o
sessed with her, since she tre -
him like filth.
On the other hand--and to fe
fair, Jennifer Lynch's original .Ly
and guts to make this film in an
industry that is so unwilling to take
chances is commendable. Even
though the plot and acting left
much to be desired, some of the
visual aspects were amazing, and,
in my opinion, this isn't the last we
will hear of Ms. Lynch.
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