BLAIRE SEPTEMBER 2015 by Blaire Magazine

U R B A N o f , rel ating to , o r loc a te d i n a ci ty.

EMILY EATON EDITOR Emily@blairemagazine.com SARAH LONG CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sarah@blairemagazine.com MONICA JANKOWSKI MUSIC DIRECTOR ALECZANDER GAMBOA SUBEDITOR DREW BEETHAM LAYOUT / DESIGN EDITORIAL CONTRUBITIONS MITCHELL PASCOE LIFE TORY PRICE FASHION TOM BENSLEY LIFE MIA FRANCISCO LIFE YEN LI WONG LIFE ROBERT KAUFMAN POETRY MONICA JANKOWSKI LIFE ENQUIRIES / SUBMISSION Sarah@blairemagazine.com ABN: 62359130068 www.blairemagazine.com

FEATURED CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN Ashley Madison went down...

BE. YOU Cruising

LOVE IS ART An interview with an inspiration

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER Freaktography

THE LEGEND OF EL CHAPO Drugs. Money. Death

YESTERDAYS VIRGINS More than streetwear

HUMAN WRECKAGE Not of this time

VACCINATIONS And opinions of them

SAME SEX v CO-ED Magnum time

MAFIA RESSURECTION Reliving the glory days

REGULAR MUSIC REVIEWS Cool!

BONNIE CLICKS Resident photography escapades

CHEEKY CHAPTER Pornography

POEM ‘OSLO’ by Robert Kaufman

COMIC

Online dating website, Ashley Madison, which is targeted towards “attached” individuals who are, according to the websites’ theme song, ‘looking for somebody other than my wife,’ was recently hacked by some cool dudes referring to themselves as the Impact Team. This is not the first time an organisation, company, group of political parties, or just plain ol’ individuals, have been hacked by members of an ‘electronic army’. The question on everybody’s mind though is, why? And probably, what was the strangest sexual fetish found on Ashley Madison that could potentially be revealed?

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Author: Mia Beverley Francisco

First thing’s first. Why are hackers causing such grief, torment, and shame to a group of people who like to do naughty things, with naughty people? Apparently, it is all in the name of moral agenda. These specific bunch of hackers are not your average cyber-criminals. Hell no! These guys most likely believe they have ‘hacktivist halos’ bobbing above their pure heads. This technically gifted group of people are doing “good”. According to themselves. And several of their fans – most likely scorned lovers. Experts say that a moral factor adds a whole new dimension to the reasoning behind hackers’ motivation and who they target, and why. So it seems like poor Ashley Madison was basically just one big, wet, throbbing playground for these skilled data-stealers. Impact Team have demanded that the big bosses of the main company, Avid Life Media (ALM) and it’s offsprings, Ashley Madison and Established Men, be shut down or else! Or else all private and sensitive, and not to mention entrusted, and perhaps kinky, details will be released GLOBALLY! Pretty dramatic, hey? As we all know, this is not the first time a large company has been threatened by online hackers.

T ime Magazine revealed a couple of scary stats: In 2014, at east every week, there was an online hack. And, there are two kinds of consumers – those who know they’ve been breached, and those who don’t. Take the company, SONY, for example. They have fought the likes of notorious online freedom fighters, Anonymous, and Lulzsec and Lizard squad for several years. Some argue these groups are doing what everybody wants to do – bring justice and equality by blackmailing the bad guys. That all sounds nice and good, but there are many downfalls to online hackers, not all of them are doing it for the greater good. There are countless weirdoes who simply hack for the personal gratification and disruption it causes others. And not to mention because they are greedy bastards wanting to steal from everyone. So where does that put Impact Team and their raid on Ashley Madison? Well, according to this latest online invasion, Impact Team have released a statement that more or less declares that the reason they want this immoral site shut down once and for all is because it is facilitating bad behaviour. They want to teach AM and all the individual cheaters a lesson. Anyone else getting the vibe that Impact Team could possibly be a group of angry men and women who found out their partner was getting hot and heavy behind their back? So here is my take on this latest act of hacktivism. I don’t approve. That’s right, I don’t think it is right. Fair. Just. And all that other stuff made of white, fluffy goodness. Why? Well, lots of reasons, the main one being that it’s an invasion of privacy, illegal, rude, and just, well, a little bit creepy. Now, I am not one to advocate for having an affair and treating your partner like shit. It’s just that I, as I am sure many others have too, have seen the negative domino effect something like this can have. For instance, Impact Team does go ahead with naming and shaming everyone’s personal details, nude photos, sexual preferences and fetishes, and the chaos begins. A cheating husband is mortified. Excruciatingly embarrassed that he has not only been found out by his wife, but the rest of the world. The wife is shocked and hurt beyond belief. The

couple’s children are ashamed, confused, and upset. These feelings can then lead onto severe consequences: bullying, violence, divorce, and suicide. The online world is cruel enough, why add to it by exposing not only the love-rats, but their entire innocent family? Which brings me to my next issue with the Impact Team and their mission. I did a little investigating myself and signed up to Ashley Madison; username: dirtynflirtynsquirty (send me a gift!). And what I found was not what I was expecting at all. For every attached man or woman, there were nearly 12 singles. In fact, most of my apparent “matches” were all single. Everywhere I looked, topless, brooding single men squinted at me from their rather amusing profile pictures. So why should these people be targeted and shamed? They’re not cheaters, just horny individuals looking for some fun. If looking for a good time online is your thing, then go for it. It is unfortunate that hacktivism is getting in the way of true love! So, basically, Anonymous has their heads screwed on a little bit more than Impact Team. Shutting down 800 ISIS Twitter accounts was at the hands of Anonymous. Humiliating and potentially causing a lot of serious problems for everyday people is what Impact Team are up to. If they want to earn my approval, then I believe they should invest their time, effort, and anger into hacking into online child pornography sites and bring down the real bad guys. Then, they may be worthy of those hacktivist halos.

Your motto is ‘be you and love what you do’. Tell us the story about how you became yourselves and how you found your love for making skateboards? ‘Be you and love what you do’ is not just a motto, it’s a message we would like to share. Be.You are not just two guys who make rad skateboards, we are two guys, who absolutely love what we do. You’ve taken the leap into starting your own business. How can people step outside their comfort zone and follow their dream? We both went to school, studied and lived the regular life, which everyone told us to do. We always knew that this wasn’t right for us, because it felt wrong. Finally we listened to the voices in our heads and we both quit our jobs and took off for the journey called life. Stepping out of our comfort zone gave us space in our minds to find out who we really are and this finally enforced the creativity with which we currently design our skateboards. Traveling is not the only way to step out your comfort zone, but it can have life-changing benefits. If you want to step out of your comfort zone, change your daily routine, try different things, take risks (don’t be stupid), and realise that you only have one life and that there is nothing to fear. GO FOR IT, NOW. Your boards are carefully handcrafted from only the best. Where do you source the material from? We are getting our material from a supplier who is FSC certified. FSC helps take care of forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. If you could turn your skateboards into hover boards, what would the adventure entail? Haha, well I guess ever since Back to the Future the hover board has been the dream of every child. For many many years we have been trying to fly with one of our boards ;-)

LOVE IS ART A great man once said, ‘The mind is everything. What you think, you become.’ And that is exactly what Jeremy Brown has done. Through his powerful, lovedup energy he has chosen an incredible path. He’s responsible for launching a foundation to help cure a rare disease, he’s manifested a creative relationship with Christopher Poindexter and inspired others through his art. He is someone who will change your perspective on life. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WHAT IS YOUR MAIN FOCUS? That’s really hard to answer. I feel as if all of my projects interlock, each playing an important roll in the creation of something bigger. They are essentially all different mediums used in the creation of one mixed-media masterpiece. W ith Love is Art being a successful for-profit, it allows me to contribute time and resources towards other not-for-profit projects like DRIVE, and allows me to work on my personal art and collaborations. I guess I’d have to say that my main focus right now is to continue creating and using my creations to make a positive difference in this world we live in. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EXHIBITION THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY RUNNING? I started Love Is Art five years ago and DRIVE almost three years ago, but only within the past year have I pursued or publicly shared my personal art. As an abstract, mixed-media artist, I have used my personal art to focus on and express my belief that unconditional love and compassion for others is the greatest form of art. My current solo exhibition titled ‘Love Marks The Spot’ is based around

the search for peace and happiness, an exploration we all experience. For me, love is where I find my true peace and happiness. Love for myself, but more importantly, love for all others. Genuine compassion and kindness for all beings. The aesthetic of my personal art is heavily inspired by the grit and chaos of graffiti art, yet at the same time the simplicity of moder n contemporary fine art. I’ve found influence from the simple structure found in works by the late Robert Rothko, and the use of both image and text by the late Jean Michele Basquiat. W ith this body of work, I hope to spark positive emotions and encourage or remind viewers of the value unconditional love not only has on those we share it with, but on ourselves as well. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE COLOURS TO USE? AND DO THEY REPRESENT A FEELING OR EMOTION? Technically it’s the absence of colour, but black has always been something I’ve been drawn towards. Other tha n that, I like them all. The brighter, the better. I don’t normally paint when I’m in a bad mood or have any negativity in my chest, so I guess a lot of the colours I use do come from positive emotions. As a ritual, I always bur n sage before painting, whether is actually removes negative energy or just helps to clear my mind, it always seems to help. WHAT IS UNCONDITIONAL AND ROMANTIC LOVE TO YOU? Unconditional love to me is compassion that does not ask for anything in retur n, does not hold prejudice or judgement, does not have barriers. Romantic love is a creative partnership, two individuals who share the same vision for the future and they build it together. They provide each other with support, as well as intimacy. Satisfying each other’s wants, needs, hopes and desires.

WHO TAUGHT YOU TO LOVE AND TO VALUE LOVE ABOVE ALL? I come from a loving and caring family, so that definitely played it’s part. I have never been very religious, but always naturally held high value on living with a kind heart. Growing up, I always felt like I was searching for something, and like most, searching for the meaning of life. At some point five or six years ago, I was introduced to Buddhism, which is essentially not classified as a religion, but as a way of life based around unconditional love for all. It wasn’t long after, that I started to see a change in myself, and change in my personal peace and happiness. When my focus became about others and not about myself, I found myself with less questions that needed to be answered. IF YOU COULD TEACH OUR GENERATION HOW TO LOVE IN THE WAY THAT YOU PERCEIVE IT, HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? It’s easier said than done, but to love without conditions or expectations. To love with all of your heart, regardless if you receive anything in retur n. To be mindful and put fourth effort to create the best love you can. Love is the greatest form of art we have. Creating a masterpiece requires trust, patience, practice, dedication, communication, creativity, an open mind and an open heart. So does love. Make your masterpiece, don’t expect it to make itself. WHAT IS YOUR LOVE IS AR T KIT? Long story short, it’s a kit that provides the means for couples to not only create an abstract painting, but to create an intimate experience and memories to cherish. The kits include all of the supplies needed for a couple to make an abstract painting while being intimate. The most important asset of the kit being the specially-formulated, all-natural paint that has been created to ensure a safe project. The kits also include

a drop cloth to protect surfaces from paint splatter, a treated cotton canvas, two pairs of disposable slippers to walk from the drop cloth to the shower, bodywash and a mesh sponge. I began creating paintings during intimacy over a decade ago and quickly realised it was a project that others need to experience. IF BUDDHA WAS YOUR INSPIRATION, WHICH OF HIS QUOTES WOULD RESONATE WITH YOU THE MOST? ‘Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.’ HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE COLOUR? A means of expression. WHO WAS THE MOST INTERESTING PERSON YOU’VE SOLD YOUR WORK TO? There was an older gentleman once who, the second he saw one of my pieces, knew he had to have it. The piece had a solid back area on it with the words ‘negative space’ on it, however I had crossed out the word ‘negative’ and added the word ‘positive’ above it. For me the piece was about tur ning negative experiences in our lives into experiences we lear n from, allowing us to create something positive from them. He had recently lost his boyfriend of 30 years, and had spent most of his time since focused on the negative aspect of the situation. ‘Why?’ ‘Why did this have to happen to me?’ He told me that seeing the painting made him realise that he needs to honor his partner, to dedicate his time and energy towards making a positive difference in the world, in honor of his late love. HOW WERE YOU EDUCATED BY HEAR TACHE AND PAIN? WAS IT A MOMENT, OR DID YOU STUDY IT? It’s a mixture of personal experiences, as well as the experiences of others dear to my

heart. Heartache and pain can be a great source of wisdom, and wisdom is the fire that provides warmth and light in times of need. Everyday is an opportunity to lear n something new, whether it be what not to do, or what to cherish most. However, it’s important to seek out those lessons while overcoming such experiences. Sometimes the highest mountains we are faced with, eventually become the seat from which we see a brighter world. YOU’VE LAUNCHED A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION OUT OF A CAPTIVATING STORY. PLEASE CAN YOU SHARE THIS WITH US? A close friend of mine, Steve Dezember II, younger than I am, was diagnosed over three years ago with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which is a progressive neurodegenerative dise ase that causes muscle weakness, paraly sis, and ultimately, complete respiratory failure. It is a disease that has no cure, and has a life expectancy of 3-5 years after being diagnosed. Steve and his wife Hope had been following my Love Is Art project since it’s creation, and had expressed interested in making their own painting. Because of the effects of the disease, they were unable to create a Love Is Art painting the traditional way. One Sunday I went over to their home, Hope picked Steve up out of his electric wheelchair and as they embraced each other, I ran around and poured paint on them. I then wrapped a blank canvas around them, essentially capturing their love for each other on canvas. During that project, Steve accidentally drove his wheelchair across a canvas that was on the floor, and because there was paint on the wheels, it left a tire mark across the center of the canvas. The impression immediately caught my attention and I told him if he wanted to, he was more than welcome to add more marks to it. You should have seen the joy on his face as he drove around

‘ Love is the greatest form of art we have. Creating a masterpiece requires trust, patience, practice, dedication, communication, creativity, an open mind and an open heart. So does love. Make your masterpiece, don’t expect it to make itself ‘

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Everyday is an opportunity to learn something new, whether it be what not to do, or what to cherish most â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

on the canvas, being able to create something while everything was being taken away from him. The painting he created was stunning. So stunning that it inspired us to make more, and put together an exhibition to raise funds and awareness for ALS research. The first exhibition sold out, every single piece was purchased and the DRIVE project was bor n. We’ve since hosted five exhibitions and launched a website for people to purchase his art. WHAT INSPIRED THE NAME DRIVE AND THE CREATIVITY BEHIND THE I DEA OF THE AR TWORK? When we were planning the first exhibition, I asked Steve to give me one word to describe the project and he immediately said ‘drive’. The title came from not only because he drives his wheelchair across canvas, but more so from his drive to stay alive. His drive to make the best of his situation. His drive to raise awareness and funds to one day find a cure for the disease. His drive to help others who have, or will one day be diagnosed with, ALS. YOU’VE RECENTLY COLLABORATED WITH CHRISTOPHER POINDEXTER. WITH TWO MAJESTICALLY-MINDED PEOPLE BECOMING ONE, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOUR IDEAL WORLD?

humanity. I have a great appreciation for words and poetry, and he shared an appreciation for my artwork. It wasn’t long before we knew we had to collaborate. Our ideal world would be one where love and compassion for others was everyone’s primary focus. If everyone just loved each other a little more, the world would be a much better place. WHAT LIFE LESSON HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT YOURSELF FROM WORKING CLOSELY WITH CHRISTOPHER? The response and inspiration that our collaboration has had on others lives, has taught me the value of combining creativity, genuine compassion and positivity. Going back to the Buddha quote mentioned earlier, our collaboration has provided both Chris and I with true joy and happiness, of which has come directly from providing positive inspiration to others. YOUR FOOTSTEPS KEEP GETTING BIGGER AND BRIGHTER, WHAT SOR T OF LIGHT IS GOING TO SHINE ON THE FUTURE OF JEREMY? I just hope that I am able to use my creativity to be source of light for others. Interview by Sarah Long

Chris and I randomly met via Instagram. I commented on a post that he made about, funny enough, Australian musician Matt Corby. In his post, he shared his appreciation for Matt’s music, as do I, and I had recommended another musician to him, Jesse Tyler. A line of communication opened up and we quickly realised that we shared not only a similar taste in music, but a shared outlook on life and our love for

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHE R

FREAK TOGRAPHY

Freaktography, also known as Dave, is a modern day explorer who uncovers and reveals the secret lives of rural and urban abandoned homes, factories, hospitals and other institutions, in addition to scaling city rooftops and dredging through city storm drains, all in the name of adventure and photography. Through social media and his website, Freaktography shares his stories, adventures and photography with curious followers who are always eager to see his next shot or read about his latest adventures in parts of civilization that are normally unseen or off-limits. What is my message? 1. When photographing on a rooftop, I think we are capturing the growth of a city and years from now people will look back at the roof topping movement currently happening and they will see how a city like Toronto grew. We will see how a city is forced to grow vertically when there is no more room to grow at the surface level, we will also see the progression of building design and how creativity in architecture can transform a skyline over time. I am just one of many, many people who are taking part in this genre within photography or ‘urban exploring’, and I hope that one day a few of my shots might mean something to someone. 2. When photographing abandonment, it is to give those who are viewing the images a glimpse into another side of civilization that most aren’t even aware of. To me, photographing abandoned places is a passion, it’s uncovering and capturing history and it’s very interesting... I like to consider it ‘capturing the present state of the past.’ These places stopped living long ago, in most cases, however the rooms remain today (for the most part) as they were in the past, the day the last person walked out the door.

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHE R

http://www.freaktogra phy.ca https://www.facebook.com/Freaktography https://instagram.com/freaktography https://twitter.com/Freaktography

The Legend of

EL CHAPO The world read with fascination, horror and amazement as Joaquin Guzman Loera, alleged drug kingpin of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, escaped from maximum security Altiplano prison on 11 July 2015. That this was not his first ever breakout from prison but his second in two decades speaks volumes about the situation faced by Mexican authorities in their fight against drug trafficking and corruption. Long regarded as one of the most dangerous men in the world, Guzman – more commonly known as El Chapo (‘Shorty’) – has spearheaded the growth of an organisation that is widely recognised as the largest drug importer in the United States.

A s m u c h a s w e a l l k n o w t h a t d r u g s a re b a d a n d w e s h o u l d re a l l y n e v e r, e v e r c o n s u m e t h e m , y o u w o u l d h a v e t o t i p y o u r h a t o ff t o El Chapo for his innovation, determination and longevity in a business that surprisingly has a high death rate. Perhaps it is time El Chapo was given an avenue to speak his piece; a platform for his voice, if you will. The following interview is obviously fictional but w i l l h o p e f u l l y g i v e re a d e r s a n i n s i g h t i n t o t h e inner workings of this elusive man. INTERVIEWER: WELCOME, MR. GUZMAN AND THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO SPEAK TO US. J o a q u i n G u z m a n : I t ’s t i m e f o r t h e w o r l d t o l i s t e n t o m y s i d e o f t h e s t o r y. I ’ v e b e e n v i l i f i e d

a n d s l a m m e d i n t h e p re s s . I j u s t w a n t t o l e t people know that I’m not the bogeyman. ALL RIGHT. LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE. WHY DRUGS OF ALL THINGS? YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY A BRILLIANT MAN WHO IS ABLE TO INVOKE LOYALTY IN HIS EMPLOYEES AND COLLEAGUES. WHY NOT CHANNEL THIS INTO SOMETHING LESS DESTRUCTIVE? How can you not? Have you ever been to M e x i c o ? I w a s b o r n p o o r, m y w h o l e f a m i l y w a s p o o r. We d i d w h a t w e d i d t o s u r v i v e . The government never gave us anything – no handouts, no help. It was either survive or die, simple as that. Me, I chose to survive. In S i n a l o a , d r u g s a re t h e p a t h w a y o u t o f p o v e r t y. M y f a t h e r w a s a f a r m e r, a r a n c h e r. L i f e w a s t o u g h . H e d i d d r u g s o n t h e s i d e . I t ’s M e x i c o . D r u g s a re p ro b a b l y t h e b i g g e s t e m p l o y e r s i n t h e c o u n t r y. Yo u n e e d p e o p l e t o c u l t i v a t e , g ro w, t r a n s p o r t d r u g s . E v e r y o n e i s i n v o l v e d i n it – just depends on who has the guts to get the biggest piece of the pie. I believe that every man should take full use of the opportunities o ff e re d t o h i m . I w a s b o r n i n S i n a l o a . B i g g e s t t r a d e i s d r u g s . T h e re w a s h a rd l y a n y t h i n g e l s e I could have done. S O Y O U D E C I D E D T H AT D R U G S W O U L D B E Y O U R WAY O U T O F T H E C H A I N O F P O V E R T Y. A N D T H AT ’ S W H E N Y O U S TA R T E D W O R K I N G F O R T H E GUADALAJARA CARTEL. Ye a h . I w o r k e d m y w a y u p , f o r s u re . J u s t l i k e

i n a n y j o b , y o u n e e d t o p ro v e t h a t y o u ’ re g o o d , that you want the job and that you can do the j o b . Yo u c a n ’t b e s c a re d t o g e t y o u r h a n d s d i r t y. T h e n t h i s b u s i n e s s i s n o t f o r y o u . T h o s e f i r s t y e a r s t o u g h e n e d t h e h e l l o u t o f m e . Yo u re a l l y n e e d t o p ro v e t h a t y o u a re w i l l i n g t o d o whatever it takes to get the job done. T E L L U S A L I T T L E M O R E A B O U T W H AT HAPPENED AFTER THE ARREST OF MIGUEL ANGEL FELIX GALLARDO (OF THE GUADALAJARA CARTEL). AFTER ALL, HE WA S Y O U R M E N T O R , T H E O N E W H O G AV E YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO RISE IN THE TRADE. I t w a s i n 1 9 8 9 w h i c h w a s a ro u g h y e a r. I d i d n ’t know what was going to happen to me. In h i n d s i g h t , t h a t w a s p ro b a b l y t h e c a t a l y s t f o r the start of the Sinaloa cartel. But that taught m e a f e w k e y l e s s o n s . Yo u n e e d t o b e re a l l y, re a l l y g o o d t o s u r v i v e i n t h i s b u s i n e s s . T h a t m e a n s s u r ro u n d i n g y o u r s e l f w i t h g o o d p e o p l e , putting good systems in place. Everyone n e e d s t o s c re w y o u o v e r i n o rd e r f o r y o u t o b e c a u g h t . A n d t h i s w o r k e d . F o r m a n y, m a n y y e a r s – m o re y e a r s t h a n t h e a u t h o r i t i e s w o u l d l i k e t o a d m i t – i t re a l l y w o r k e d . A N D S O Y O U C O N S O L I D AT E D Y O U R B U S I N E S S A N D WAT C H E D I T G R O W. Ye a h . O n e g re a t t h i n g E l P a d r i n o t a u g h t m e w a s n o t t o b e t o o f l a s h y, j u s t s t a y i n t h e b a c k g ro u n d . I p re t t y m u c h k e p t t o t h e s h a d o w s a n d d i d a l l m y g re a t w o r k f ro m t h e re .

W H AT A B O U T T H E M U R D E R O F C A R D I N A L JUAN JESUS POSADAS OCAMPO IN 1993? T H AT R E A L LY P U T T H E S P O T L I G H T O N YOU. Ye a h , t h o s e f u c k e r s ( r i v a l d r u g c a r t e l ) T i j u a n a c a n ’t d o a n y t h i n g r i g h t . T h e y f u c k e d t h i n g s up for all of us. Suddenly it seemed like I was t h e b a d g u y. I w a s n ’t t h e o n e w h o s c re w e d u p a h i t . B u t i t ’s b a d p re s s . M a n y p e o p l e m a s s a c re d , a c a rd i n a l k i l l e d . T h e a u t h o r i t i e s h a d t o s h o w t h e y w e re d o i n g s o m e t h i n g . S o then I got a fucking target on my back. SO YOU WERE ARRESTED IN JUNE 1993. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS FROM WITHIN PRISON? L o o k , i n s i d e , o u t s i d e , i t ’s p re t t y m u c h t h e same to me. Even after they moved me to Puente Grande. Money talks in this world, d o n ’t l e t a n y o n e t e l l y o u a n y t h i n g d i ff e re n t . I tell you, I have good people working for me. Yo u h a v e g o o d p e o p l e i n y o u r c i rc l e , y o u ’ re gold. IF YOU WERE STILL EFFECTIVE BEHIND BARS, WHY ESCAPE? I t w a s t h a t f u c k i n g n e w l a w. Yo u k n o w, t h e o n e w h e re t h e y ’ d b e a b l e t o s h i p p e o p l e l i k e me over to the States. T H AT F I R S T E S C A P E WA S P R E T T Y S E N S AT I O N A L . T H E L A U N D RY C A R T S T O RY. WA S T H AT T R U E ? H a h a . Ye a h , e v e r y l a s t b i t . T h e y g o t m e i n t o a cart with dirty laundry in it and I was out of prison. It was easily arranged.Then it was 1 3 y e a r s o n t h e r u n . Yo u m a n a g e d t o d o a

lot during that time though, including get m a r r i e d . H o w d i d y o u k e e p a l l t h i s a s e c re t f ro m a u t h o r i t i e s ? T h e p e o p l e a re a l l w i t h m e . H e l l , m o s t o f t h e m a re o n m y p a y ro l l a n y w a y. I might be the most wanted man in Mexico but t h a t d o e s n ’t s t o p m e f ro m s t ro l l i n g d o w n t o t h e l o c a l re s t a u r a n t f o r a g o o d m e a l . Yo u t h i n k t h e l o c a l s a re g o i n g t o g i v e m e a w a y t o t h e a u t h o r i t i e s ? I t a k e c a re o f t h e m b e t t e r t h a n the authorities do. Y O U R N E X T I N C A R C E R AT I O N . I T W O U L D TA K E Y O U 1 6 M O N T H S T O E N G I N E E R ANOTHER ESCAPE. We l l , o b v i o u s l y t h e y w i s e d u p o n t h e l a u n d r y cart trick. I had another ace up my sleeve t h o u g h . S e e , I ’ v e u s e d t u n n e l s b e f o re . C a r s , t r a i n s , p l a n e s – t h e y d o n ’t h o l d a c a n d l e t o w h a t y o u c a n d o u n d e r g ro u n d . I t t o o k a b i t m o re t i m e b u t I d i d i t a g a i n , r i g h t .

The interview is clearly fictionalised, but the drug trafficking industry is a real and serious threat. Does the drug problem really stem from a simple case of economical supply and demand? Wo u l d l e g a l i s i n g d r u g s b e t h e b e s t and most effective way to stamp out d r u g c a r t e l s ? M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, a r e o u r leaders really serious about eliminating this epidemic for good? Just because you and I do not take drugs, does not mean that the repercussions will never reach us. Perhaps it is time for all of us to stand up and say no to drugs, and also m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y, t o t h e p o w e r s t h a t b e , pulling the strings behind the shadows.

F I N A L LY, D O Y O U E V E R T H I N K A B O U T T H E P E O P L E W H O H AV E B E E N H U R T, M U R D E R E D O R W H O H AV E D I E D B E C A U S E OF DRUGS? Do you think about all the shit you do that might hurt people? I’m a businessman. I cater t o p e o p l e ’s d e m a n d s . I t ’s b a s i c e c o n o m i c s . I give people what they want. Am I the only one t o b l a m e h e re ? P e o p l e d o n ’t l i k e t o t h i n k s o b u t d r u g - f u e l l e d m o n e y i s f l o w i n g a l l a ro u n d the world – politics, businesses, economies, i t ’s a l l t h e re . S o I ’ m b e i n g l a b e l l e d a d e v i l j u s t cause I want to make a better life for myself a n d m y f a m i l y ? I f I d o n ’t d o t h i s , s o m e o n e e l s e will and I’ll just be some piss poor farmer in Mexico. Those who take drugs? They should know what drugs does to them. But as long as t h e y a s k f o r i t , I ’ l l b e t h e re f o r t h e m .

YESTERDAYS INTER VIEW BY TORY PRICE

V IRGINS Satanic references, soviet skinheads and BDSM. Confused? Don’t be. Alex of Yesterday Virgins has managed to channel this and his love for Marilyn Manson into a chaotic and awesome unisex label. The good news is that even if things don’t work out for him in the fashion industry, he would be happy leading a cult with 50 wives, but I’m pretty sure Yesterday Virgins isn’t going anywhere. YOU ARE A BORN AND BRED MELBOURNE BOY; SUM YOURSELF UP IN THREE WORDS. I was born in Melbourne but raised in a small country town in NSW. My parents moved there when I was 4 months old. I moved back to Melbourne when I was 17 after I finished high school. Three words: humorous, driven and imaginative. IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ON A REALITY SHOW, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO BE ON AND WHY? I actually hate reality TV. Haha. So I don’t think I could ever be part of a reality show. WOULD YOU RATHER DEREK ZOOLANDER OR KIM KARDSASHIAN WORE YOUR DESIGNS? Zoolander for sure! WHEN DID YOU LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY? When I was 16. ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, YOU CREATED YV IN 2012 WHEN YOU WERE ONLY STILL IN YOUR SECOND YEAR AT UNI, HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO IT? I’d been saying I wanted to start a label since I was a kid and then at Uni we were only doing women’s wear, w hich I wasn’t really interested in. My friends were sick of me always saying I

wanted my own label and one of my best friends pretty much just said to either start it or stop talking about it. So I started small with a few printed tees. This was before I had the online store, so if you wanted to buy anything you had to know me or one of my friends to be able to get it. Surprisingly it actually worked pretty well just selling by word of mouth. I started selling beanies and sold out in maybe 10 or so colours, which paid for a few overseas trips to the Philippines and Indonesia where I found my manufacturers. Then every uni holidays I’d fly over to manufacture. YOU CLASSIFY YV AS A STREETWEAR LABEL, IS IT MORE THAN JUST SKATING AND WEARING VANS? Yeah YV isn’t your typical streetwear label. It’s a lot darker and doesn’t have your typical cuts. What differentiates YV from other streetwear labels is my inspiration for design and the fact that it’s a unisex label. YOUR DESIGNS CHANNEL THE OCCULT, ARE YOU A SATAN WORSHIPPER? Not yet. I take a lot of inspiration from religion and the chaos it causes. There are a few satanic references throughout some of the things I do. C U LT S A R E FA S C I N AT I N G . W H AT S O R T O F C U LT C O U L D Y O U I M A G I N E L E A D I N G ? I guess if I luck out in fashion and have topursue a different path I’d just go all out, have 50 wives and make everyone who joins sell all of their belongings and donate the cash to the cult. We’d need a motivator so I guess the world would be ending and I was their saviour. Then just casually fade out when the world doesn’t end. WHAT OTHER IDEAS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR PUNKY/BADASS DESIGNS? For some reason I’ve always been attracted to chaos and fucked up shit like BDSM, Soviet skinheads, goths and just the darker side of

YESTERD AYS

plays a big part in my designs. I have super open-minded parents that were pretty crazy when they were younger and travelled heaps. My dad was a surfer and biker so growing up I was into motorbikes, skating and shooting. I wasn’t sheltered from anything really. So I guess it’s just one big mash.

V IRGINS

WHY DOES YV ONLY DO LIMITED RELEASES? I’m not a fan of mass-produced fashion so keeping it limited makes it more exclusive and ensures it remains a niche label. WHAT DOES BEING AN ETHICAL LABEL REALLY MEAN? Being ethical has so many different meanings, it just depends who you’re talking to. Some people say your materials have to be organic and others say it’s the way your workers are treated. I’ve tried to keep YV as ethical as I possibly can. The factories I use all have fair work policies, so staff that are over 18, they only work 7-8 hours a day with a 1 hour lunch break, their lunch is supplied and they get paid travel. They are allowed to talk to each other, and their wage is 2.5-3 times higher than the average wage in Indonesia. I also have full access to the factories and can freely talk to the staff. FASHION HAS BECOME A HIGHLY DISPOSABLE COMMODITY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? Fashion has become extremely disposable due to mass-produced fast fashion labels! It’s really shit in a lot of ways. There is a lot of cheap crap b eing produced, it’s screwing the environment and consumers now expect everything cheaper and faster. So being a small label can be sucky at times because people want your stuff but at a H&M price. It’s really warping the way everyone is viewing fashion.

Human wreckage A crackle from the pyre gush and weightless embers rush to be blotted out by the midnight void. A star too young and much too bright to be seen. I am in this space but most certainly not of this time Through the myriad wings of Heaven’s curse Supple opium lips part and purse To speak of pleasure that won’t be enjoyed A whisper to the future of all that has been I am in this space but most certainly not of this time Where forlorn lovers embrace The solitude of Nothing’s grace Tranquility laughs at all It destroyed And rumbles through the catacomb of a haunted dream I am in this space but most certainly not of this time Where was I before your mind I am in this space but most certainly not of this time

Insta: @thehumanwreckage / Web: www.human-wreckage.com

IC MUS REVIEWS BY BRADLEY COWAN

The Internet / Ego Death The Inter net’s third album is a like a saltshaker which has been tainted with sugar, a prank that can catch anyone off guard. The salt is hiphop and the sugar is soul, and when mixed together, a nasty surprise is created. Ego Death is like one of those sex albums from the nineties, a soundtrack to making sweet sweet love down by the fire. Packed with an array of special guests like Tyler the Creator, Janelle Monae and V ic Mensa, Ego Death is an album for the lovers. The lead single, ‘Special Affair’ is a slow moving number that skips the romance and takes us straight to bed for a night of gyrating under the sheets. Ego Death is a strange album with an unknown target market, I can’t tell if it’s made for hiphop fans or fans of the sound of soul. Either way if you like sweet or savoury t here will be something for you hidden away within the 12 tracks on the album.

Albert Hammond Junior / Momentary Masters

Joss Stone / Water For Your Soul

The Maccabees / Marks To Prove It

In his third studio album, Albert Hammond Junior establishes that he is more than just a guitarist for The Strokes. Albert Hammond Junior is the mastermind behind The Strokes. This five-star release seems to incorporate everything you have ever loved about one of the world’s best indie rock band. It oozes with that unique pop rock flavour that you’ve loved since 2001 and is far superior to th e bands most recent (and most disappointing) release Comedown Machine. Although Hammond’s vocals aren’t quite up to the same high standard as The Stokes lead man (and world’s biggest babe) Julian Casablancas, his talent for song writing is particularly evi dent in the tracks ‘Side Boob’ and ‘Power Hungry’ which will have you tapping away at your desk from Monday to Friday. Needless to say my colleagues are not my biggest fans right now…

It’s been a nice three years since Joss Stone decided to release an album. Now, like a cold snap in the middle of summer, Stone delivers us her seventh album, Water For Your Soul. W ith an album name like this one can only expect a flowery bunch of bullshit for soccer mums to terrorise their children with. ‘Let me breath’ (another very original name) is described as a Latin, reggae infusion, think Bob Marley meets Shakira (but not in a good way). The rest of the album does seem to have a reggae feel with the odd Spanish guitar or fiddle thrown in for a good mix. It’s been twelve years since this now 28 year old has stepped into the music scene and after her latest release I believe an early retirement could be the next best move for this British bore.

The Maccabees latest release titled Marks to Prove it saw the five-piece Londonbased band working for the past 2.5 years to achieve a sound that encompasses everything about a typical grey English day. This seems to be ironic given the fact that London has experienced one of the hottest summers ever, perhaps it was The Maccabees way of trying to keep the Brits cool as the temperature got up to a bloody balmy 23 degrees. This fourth album from The Maccabees has a dreary ‘Smiths’ style of sound to it, some might say it’s an iconic English sound, but to me it’s just a bit boring. The one track that stood out from the album was ‘Spit It Out’ which sees the band starting off light then finally bashing the piano keys. Apart from that, the album made me feel… well cold.

VACCIN HISTORY Vaccination exists because, in Sodbury, England in 1762, medical apprentice Edward Jenner overheard a dairymaid say something which would change the course of history:‘I shall never have smallpox,’ she said, ‘for I have cowpox. I shall never have an ugly, pockmarked face.’ Jenner, 13 at the time, decided to test the dairymaid’s proposal thirty-four years later. He (unethically) infected an 8-year-old boy with a small sample from a cowpox lesion, then exposed him to the smallpox virus. The experiment worked; the boy did not contract smallpox. It was the very first vaccine, and smallpox became the first virus to be completely eradicated by a vaccine – the last known case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977. The way a vaccine works is remarkably simple. In our bodies we have an immune system, which is a tireless process set on locating diseases you’ve contracted from the environment and destroying them before they have the chance to harm you. The immune system has stations all over your body. Your skin protects you from a huge number of diseases you might contract by touching them, secreting oils to make it even more

effective. If you breathe in something dangerous these microbes can be trapped in your mucous and eliminated, while your tears and saliva flush potential infection from your body. Despite how effective the immune system is, if it’s confronted with something it doesn’t know how to fight, the disease threatens to spread throughout your body, making you sick and even killing you. This is where vaccines come in. By process of vaccination, a virus sample is injected into the body. The sample has to be either the remains of a dead virus or a live, weakened virus, and it essentially becomes target practice for your immune system. These two methods were proven successful in 1955 and 1962, by two scientists who heavily disagreed with each other about the best way to administer a vaccine. Once your white blood cells locate the viral infection and eliminate it, they essentially know what they’re up against, and future contact with the virus is much less of a problem. The 1930s saw the invention of a much more effective whooping cough (or pertussis) vaccine, put together

NATIONS

Should they be compulsor y? By Tom Bensley

by scientists Pearl Kendrick and Grace Eldering. There was a vaccine for pertussis already, but it wasn’t very effective. Kenderick and Eldering, at the time working for the department of health sampling milk and water for safety, spent nights and weekends to develop a more effective vaccine. Thanks to their efforts, whooping cough rates have fallen by more than 95% in the US today. Surprisingly it wasn’t until 1998 that the antivaccination movement really sprang into action. The movement’s leader is UK doctor Andrew Wakefield who, with a collective of other scientists, published a paper on the correlation between vaccines and autism. This lead to widespread panic among parents, many of whom flocked to the ranks of concerned parents rallying behind Wakefield and his wife, Carmel. Despite the paper being retracted in 2010, the anti-vaccination movement is strong. But more on that in a moment. Despite his questionable – and sometimes downright ludicrous – leadership policies, Aussie PM Tony Abbott vehemently supports

compulsory vaccination. In April 2015 his ‘no jab, no pay’ plan was put into place, which states that parents who choose to not vaccinate their children would not be able to receive government welfare payments. There is a ‘conscientious objector’ exemption, allowing parents to reject vaccinations for their children by choice, but this will no longer be allowed as of January 2016. While this bodes well for the medical community, the plan has revealed a strong force of vaccine objectors, showing that there are 39,000 children who haven’t received immunisation because their parents are objectors. There have been marches in Melbourne and organisations have become much more vocal in public and on the Internet – but, again, more on that later. Abbott’s plan, Wakefield’s study and even baffling anti-vaccination statements from celebrities like Jim Carrey, Jenny McCarthy and Rob Schneider have caused a medical issue to become a social one. The evidence is there, but the debate rages on. Why is this? The only way to understand it is to look at both sides of the argument, and to see how they’re just not listening to each other.

PRO-VACCINATION Vaccinations work. The history is clear and the evidence is there. Diphtheria has been completely eradicated by vaccinations, a virus which in the past cause over 200,000 deaths. Australia was declared polio free by the World Health Organisation in 2000, a virus with symptoms ranging from mild flu-like effects to total paralysis and death. The reduction of deaths and mere symptoms of diseases like tetanus, rubella and measles have all been reduced monumentally. Vaccination is a proven method of disease prevention and eradication. The Australian government has long been promoting the necessity of vaccines in schools. We all remember immunisation days in primary and high school. There were always a few kids with massive needle-phobias, who had to have several teachers and parents surrounding them and giving words of encouragement and distraction as the needle went in. There were kids who acted tough, like the injection made no

difference. And there were the ones who would overplay the effects, lying slumped over couches and complaining of sickness, playing it up to get a half-day from school. Vaccinations had to be administered to stop the spread of diseases in schools. For Australian kids it’s simply been a part of growing up. The journalist Peter Bowditch has been a longtime campaigner against anti-vaccination groups. He and the group, SAVN (Stop the Australian Anti-vaccination Network), state on their Facebook page that they campaign ‘against antivaccine cranks.’ They believe in promoting the scientific and medical evidence of vaccines to Australians everywhere, and do not tolerate the scepticism put forward by groups like the AVN, or the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network, originally called the Anti-Vaccination Network until they were ordered to change the name. I

contacted

SAVN

representative

Rachel

‘For Austr alian kids it’s simply been a par t of growing up’

Dunlop, an Australian medical researcher who has done tremendous work on the ALS disease, discovering one of its potential causes. I asked Dr Dunlop if she or anyone else from the SAVN would provide their perspective in an article which examined the two sides of the vaccination debate in Australia. Her response elucidated for me the very problem inherent in the vaccination debate, and why the two opposing groups are so split down the middle. She accused me of promoting ‘false balance’, a media bias committed by journalists which presents two sides of an argument as more balanced than they actually are. ‘There is science, and there is bollocks,’ she said, and was surprised I would ask for the SAVN’s involvement in this article.

detrimental because it promotes misinformation. They blaze ahead with science and reason on their side, and their stubbornness rivals Richard Dawkins and his army of enlightened atheists. My question to the SAVN, Dr Dunlop and Peter Bowditch etc. is, how can you have a debate if you exclude your opponents’ opinions? How can you expect to reach someone whose beliefs you’ve termed as ‘bollocks’? Or when, as Peter Bowditch’s group Ratbags.com did on Twitter, you’ve suggested they have ‘sexual feelings’ towards dead babies? Right or not, this behaviour is despicable, and it’s detrimental to the promotion of any good cause.

Dr Rachel Dunlop and the SAVN are aggressively pro-vaccination. Dunlop wrote a piece for the Guardian in which she stated that even just considering the opinions of an “anti-vaxxer” is

ANTI-VACCINATION Many groups and individuals don’t actually consider themselves ‘anti-vaccination’, instead claiming to be sceptical or suspicious of vaccines, but for the sake of this article I’ve divided them into two opposing groups, to make things clearer. The Australian public actually has quite a vocal selection of anti-vacc groups, most of which oppose Abbott’s plan to enforce compulsory vaccinations. The site Nojabnopaynoway.weebly. com places themselves in direct opposition to the new plan. They include on their website an open letter to immigration Minister Scott Morrison, stressing the importance of choice when it comes to ‘optional medical interventions like vaccinations.’ In June they organised protest marches in every major city in Australia. Nocompulsoryvaccination. com is a regularly updated blog keeping tabs on all the government’s decisions regarding vaccines. Their latest post decries the use of the term ‘false balance’ in disregarding an opposing viewpoint. They promote ‘freedom of information and the ability to make decisions without fear of bullying, financial penalties or other forms of duress.’

‘profit generation through disease management rather than prevention or cure.’ Alex was also suspicious of the rise in autism, ADHD, asthma and auto immune diseases while at the same time chemicals in food, cleaning products and GMOs are increasing, all the while with the government telling us these things are safe. In addition to a personal choice not to vaccinate, Alex and his family focus on minimising ‘chemical exposure in our home’ along with eating an organic diet.

But the looming shadow over all these small groups is the AVN (Australian Vaccination-sceptics Network), run by Meryl Dorey. Dorey and the AVN are all about independent research and, like the other anti-vacc groups, the right to an individual’s choice. The ‘ultimate decision’, they claim, ‘must always remain with us – the child’s parents.’ The AVN claims that we shouldn’t let the government decide what to do with our children’s bodies, at least not without having done the research first.

The scientists and medical researchers on the pro-vaccination side of the debate want to give the impression that theirs is the decision backed up by science and research, and anti-vaxxers are all uneducated and misinformed (recall Dr Rachel Dunlop: ‘There is science, and there is bullocks’). Still, as Alex informed me, there are medical professionals who – while not outright denouncing them – question the validity of vaccination. Immunologist Tetyana Obukhanych in her book Vaccine Illusion has, after years as ‘a scientist in the trenches of mainstream biomedical research,’ come to the conclusion that ‘vaccination is one of the most deceptive inventions’ that science has convinced the world to accept. It’s a big claim. Obukhanych explains that while immunology (the science of vaccines) studies ‘an artificial process of immunisation’, it provides no understanding of natural diseases. As a result, we gain not immunity but a ‘puny surrogate of immunity’ that is not an effective method of protection against natural diseases.

To lear n more about the anti-vaccination point of view, I spoke with Alex (I have changed his name to protect his identity), father of two daughters aged 9 months and 2 years. Alex explained to me that he and his wife choose to not vaccinate their children, after extensive research and long conversations with ‘doctors, nurses, midwives, Chinese medical doctors, immunologists, pharmacists, naturopaths, chiropractors and homeopaths.’ The provaccine argument, he said, comes down to,

When I asked him about the government’s decision to make vaccinations compulsory, Alex said he found this troubling. He is concerned about the number of adverse vaccine reactions, while also pointing out that ‘we only received around 23 doses of vaccines’ in the 80s, whereas now the current US schedule is up to 70 doses, plus 200 – 300 more in development. If we deny the right to choose, he said, ‘then both our government and society as a whole have truly and irrevocably lost their way.’

‘If we deny the r ight to choose , then both our gover nment and society as a whole have tr uly and ir revocably lost their way’

THE RESULTS Two things are for sure: 1) Vaccinations are on the rise, as pretty much all governments in the Western world agree they are a proven method of disease prevention and 2) There will always be those who oppose them. From my two interview contacts, I received on the one hand a terse response as though I had asked a useless question (pro-vaccination) and on the other, an overload of information it would take weeks just to sift through (anti-vaccination). Those on the side of pro-vaccination see themselves as undeniably right and want nothing to do with the ones who oppose them, and anti-vaxxers see themselves as underdogs fighting the dogmatic, financially-driven approach to medicine, eager to draw people into their ranks and have them see the true side of things. If there’s a place we can meet in the middle of this debate and end the disparity between us as people, I’m not seeing it.

BO N N I E C L IC K S

SAME SEX

This past weekend, I went grocery shopping like I usually do. I made my way through the aisles picking up all the things I needed. Fresh fruit, tea bags, shampoo and conditioner. When I got to the frozen section to get some ice-cream cake (which is totally acceptable to have in your 20’s), things actually heated up. Standing there, picking up some Magnums was the most delicious specimen. He was damn fine. Dark hair, brooding eyes and rugged style about him. Long story short, I may have been staring for too long and he noticed. Cue the awkward walkaway from me. I don’t know how to talk or act around guys. I’ll admit it. Flirtation and playing it cool are not my strong points. I wouldn’t even say they were my average points. I literally suck. Growing up, I went to a co-ed primary school which was great. I thought I knew what boys were all about. Then I went to an all girls high school and all that knowledge and experience went out the window. We had a partner school and we shared lunch and shit but not actually spending a lot of time together made it hard to pick up on the important things, like normal social interaction. Some girls got it. There were pros at my school. They knew how to be cool. But a lot of us didn’t. Could it have been the fact that I didn’t go to a co-ed school that prevented me from lear ning how to interact with the opposite sex during the most crucial stages of growing up? Probably. So why did my parents choose to send me to an all-girls high school?

CO-ED 63

The main argument for sending kids to a same-sex school has always been that that it allows students to focus better on their education and increase their chances at getting the best out of their education without the pressures or distractions of the opposite sex. Girls are allowed the freedom to do well without the social pressure of worrying about sexual interactions. Guys could have the opportunity to use their brains freely rather than use another part of their anatomy to rule their thoughts. But this is such an outdated way of thinking! Does single sex education enable students to have a stronger education, without the distraction of the opposite sex? No fucking way! Social interactions and sexua l awakening are part of the natural process of becoming an individual and to try remove that part through same se x schooling was never going to be a good idea. Plus, segregating the sexes only leads to uncertainty, which could in tur n lead to poor use of judgement and inability to ignore peer pressure. Hello idiotic decisions! Studies have shown that in some cases, same sex schooling can increase performance in both girls and guys in certain areas but the most important thing to note is that ignoring those few aspects, the other findings show, that there is no real difference betwee n same sex and co-ed schooling results. It is also important to note that the student’s socioeconomic and previous level of education has an influence over their ability to function during higher education schooling. So the deprivation of the opposite sex really doesn’t change a thing except our ability to grow and adapt to social situations. Luckily, I’m not the only one who feels the same. Recently, the co-ed vs same sex schooling debate has been in the news with the announcement that the Armidale School in Tasmania, traditionally a private all boys school, has decided to become a co-ed school. Whilst their main motivation has been financial (which is a little bit annoying) it still brings the conversation to the front of the queue. Principal Murray Guest has said, ‘I don’t think there are any specific benefits to being single sex.’ Alex Liddell, a same-sex school student and future speech pathologist has a thought. ‘I think regardless of who is in your classroom, if you want to work hard you will. There’s always going to be the girl who just broke up with her

boyfriend and the idiot who tried to light something up on the bunsen bur ner to distract you regardless of sex. If you’re in a class with boys they’ll be idiots and try to show off. If you’re in a class with girls there’ll always be some kind of dra ma. You won’t ever be distraction free.’ Still don’t agree? What about a co-ed student’s point of view? This is what Madeleine Honyi, a Communications graduate says: ‘I pe rsonally think that growing up and going to school in a co-ed school for primary and high school made me aware and I was revealed to a level of interaction with the opposite sex. I lear nt how to interact with boys. I wasn’t afraid of them. I was friends with them. They grew up along with me. It’s the interactions that matters. You lear n vital social skills. It didn’t impact on my lear ning abilities or what I lear nt inside the classroom. In fact, if anything, it helped because it gave me a perspective of life, especially in high school from a male point of view. I had best friends in and outside of school that were boys. I mean in a way yes; boys were a distraction. Most importantly though, they were a lesson in social interaction.’

Simply put, same sex schooling vs. co-educational schooling will be a topic of debate as long as the two types of education exist. Maybe one day in the near future, more detailed studies can be done and a stronger point be made for either type of schooling. I just hope that one day, we can live in a world, where our schooling and our most crucial years of development gel and we can successfully stare at the sweet guy in the supermarket and feel real rad about it. Author: Monica Jankowski

THINK THE MAFIA ARE DEAD? THINK AGAIN

MAFI A RESURRECTION We d i d n ’t a p p re c i a t e t h e m a t t h e t i m e , but what would we give for the Mafia t o b e t h e b i g g e s t t h re a t t o h u m a n k i n d once m o re ? Te r ro r i s m dominates news headlines worldwide. This u n p re d i c t a b l e a n d s e e m i n g l y c l o s e t o - h o m e t h re a t s e n d s re a l s h i v e r s down the spine of the average man. B u t w h y h a v e t h e s e o rg a n i s e d f a m i l y c r i m e s y n d i c a t e s d i s a p p e a re d f ro m o u r t h o u g h t s , o n l y re l i v i n g t h e i r g l o r y days in Hollywood? The first assumption that needs to be s h o t d o w n i s t h a t t h e s e f a m i l i e s a re gone. Of course links to these infamous n a m e s w e re n e v e r g o i n g t o b e c o m p l e t e l y extinct, but many in the USA believe t h a t t h e M a f i a n o t o n l y s u r v i v e d , b u t a re beginning to flourish again behind closed doors. Within the past decade, the FBI h a v e p re d i c t e d t h a t t h e M a f i a s t i l l e a r n b e t w e e n $ 5 0 a n d 9 0 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s a y e a r. If that is an organisation on the decline, the mind boggles at what a ‘successful’ operation could pull in. The Sicilian Mafia originally found itself drawn to the US in the late 1800s and took to the task of making themselves t h e m o s t f e a re d c r i m i n a l o r g a n i s a t i o n t h e w o r l d w o u l d re m e m b e r. T h e i r o p e r a t i o n d i d n ’t re c e i v e i n t e r n a t i o n a l a t t e n t i o n until 1890, when a New Orleans Police S u p e r i n t e n d e n t w a s m u rd e re d , e x e c u t i o n s t y l e . W i t h o u t ro c k - s o l i d p ro o f t h a t t h e M a f i a w e re re s p o n s i b l e , i t j e t t i s o n e d t h e m t o w a rd s t h e t o p o f a v e r y l u c r a t i v e t re e .

P ro h i b i t i o n w e n t o n t o b e c o m e o n e o f t h e m o s t p ro f i t a b l e t i m e s f o r c r i m e , a n d t h e M a f i a w e re n ’t a b o u t t o m i s s o u t on the biggest slice of that pie. Their ruthlessness, was translated into the film T h e U n t o u c h a b l e s , w h e re R o b e r t D e N i ro portrays Al Capone, arguably one of best k n o w n l e a d e r s o f a f a m i l y. T h e M a f i a l e f t t h e i r m a r k a f t e r a n y m u rd e r they believed they had to carry out between the families, a fact which Hollywood a t t e m p t e d t o c a s h i n o n re p e a t e d l y. T h e most famous obviously being the kiss of d e a t h , f o l l o w e d b y w a k i n g u p t o a h o r s e ’s decapitated head in your bed, as shown i n T h e G o d f a t h e r. D e N i ro ’s b a s e b a l l b a t s c e n e w h e re h e m u rd e r s a f a m i l y m e m b e r f o r g o i n g a g a i n s t t h e f a m i l y ’s c o d e i s a n o t h e r m a i n s t re a m e v e n t , b u t s o m e o f t h e m o re o b s c u re m a k e f o r i n t e re s t i n g re a d i n g . G o i n g a g a i n s t t h e f a m i l y ’s , o r t h e C o m m i s s i o n ’s , r u l e s w a s c o m p l e t e l y u n a c c e p t a b l e , w i t h re t r i b u t i o n o f t e n b e i n g as swift as it was brutal. A Philadelphian c o n s i g l i e re o r g a n i s e d a h i t a g a i n s t a n o t h e r f a m i l y w i t h o u t a p p ro v a l . H i s r a n k d i d n o t s a v e h i m f ro m b e i n g s t a b b e d , s u ff o c a t e d , b e a t e n a n d s h o t , a s w e l l a s h i s b ro t h e ri n - l a w f o r g o o d m e a s u re . T h e c u r i o u s p a r t c a m e w h e n d u r i n g t h e a u t o p s y, w h e n $300 was found wedged up his arse, to s h o w t h a t h e h a d b e e n g re e d y d u r i n g his lifetime. Other stories include victims b e i n g f o u n d w i t h n o h a n d s f o r i n t ro d u c i n g u n d e rc o v e r c o p s a s ‘ f r i e n d s o f t h e i r s ’ a n d

victims being found with dead canaries in their mouth. So how was the Mafia able to attain such power? A lot of it can be attributed t o t h e r i g i d s t r u c t u re t h e f a m i l y w a s f o rc e d t o f o l l o w, w i t h a h i e r a rc h y t h a t was unquestionable. With the Don, the underboss and the captains able to lead the charge, it was often only their soldiers or associates who had to physically g e t t h e i r h a n d s d i r t y. W i t h o n l y t h e i r underlings ever being caught, and a wave o f e a g e r I t a l i a n i m m i g r a n t s re a d y t o p ro v e themselves, the syndicate was never re a l l y w e a k e n e d , w i t h a s m a n y v i c t o r i e s as the police could manage. T h e s a m e s t re n g t h h o w e v e r, p ro v e d t o b e t h e i r u n d o i n g t o a d e g re e . R e l y i n g o n only family and full-blooded Italians to be accepted, ongoing assimilation with the A m e r i c a n p u b l i c o v e r t i m e h a s n ’t a l l o w e d f o r re c r u i t i n g t o b e a s p ro s p e ro u s a s i t once was. A lot also changed once Sammy Gravano, an underboss at the time, a g re e d t o t u r n p o l i c e i n f o r m e r a f t e r b e i n g caught under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act. The Rico Act was a turning point in the ongoing war against the Mafia, allowing the police to finally charge the leaders of these families with the crimes they h a v e o rd e re d o t h e r s t o c o m m i t . T h e temptation to turn on family members was suddenly very beneficial to those who w e re c a u g h t , w i t h i m m u n i t y a n d w i t n e s s p ro t e c t i o n b e i n g a t t r a c t i o n i n c e n t i v e s t o t h o s e a l re a d y f a c i n g t i m e b e h i n d b a r s . It was the first tool that the police had which actually allowed them to dismantle t h e s e o r g a n i s a t i o n s f ro m t h e t o p , a l e v e l

t h e y h a d s e l d o m b e e n a b l e t o re a c h b e f o re . O n c e t h e c o d e h a d b e e n b ro k e n , ‘ s n i t c h i n g ’ s u d d e n l y d i d n ’t s e e m l i k e s u c h a big step, and became a genuine

t h re a t t o t h e M a f i a a n d t h e i r r a n k s . By no means is this writing intended to g l o r i f y o r u n d e re s t i m a t e t h e h e a r t a c h e and pain that this illegal organisation h a s c a u s e d t o c o u n t l e s s b e i n g s . F ro m m u rd e r i n g a l o v e d o n e , t o b e a t i n g a s h o p o w n e r, b l o w i n g u p a r i v a l b u s i n e s s , or dealing in drugs, the amount of lives they have claimed may never be known or f u l l y s t o p p e d . B u t w h e n c o m p a re d t o t h e t h re a t w h i c h o u r w o r l d c u r re n t l y f a c e s , t h e p re d i c t a b l e a n d o r g a n i s e d a p p e a r s a far easier target. Unfortunately with the rapid emergence of party drugs, the Mafia have found a new a v e n u e t o q u i c k l y re f i l l t h e i r w a r c o ff e r s . Once touted too ‘soft’ to compete in the drug market, they have since learnt to swap alcohol for pills, and even take a b a c k w a rd s t e p a n d n o t h a v e t o b e the biggest players in the game. Below t h e s t i l l e s t w a t e r s o f t e n l i e t h e g re a t e s t t h re a t s t o o u r w e l l b e i n g . T h e s e w a t e r s c o u l d a l re a d y b e f i l l e d w i t h v i c t i m s wearing cement shoes, and without a complete extermination, the Mafia will o n c e a g a i n s p re a d l i k e a w e l l - e n g r a i n e d c a n c e r t h ro u g h o u r s t re e t s . Author: Mitchell Pascoe

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XXX CHEEKY CH APTER

PORNO GRAPHY IN CONTEMPOR ARY SOCIET Y

ARE WE NOW LIVING IN A DESENSITISED WORLD WHERE PENETRATING THREE HOLES AT THE SAME TIME IS OKAY? Amateur lesbians fist and lick their anuses. Have I caught your attention? The name of that video certainly did whilst I was scrolling down the page of a well-known pornography Internet site. If you’re wondering whether I opened it, I did. As they say, curiosity killed the cat and it’s safe to say that my pussy was shot down. How on earth does one get hard over watching a female lick another females’ poo particle rim-hole? Before fisting the shit (pun intended) out of it and making her ejaculate everywhere. If you’re getting turned on by this, then you’re a sick fuck, or maybe I’m on my own, questioning whether pornography has lost all sense of a filter. We can all thank or condemn some artistic, Italian dude living in Rome for inventing modern day pornography. Somewhere back in the 16th Century, he decided to engrave sexually explicit pictures and publish them. Since then, the penis and vagina have not looked back, well unless of course they’re

looking at bum hole. In stating this, porn was in fact filtered. Naked people were accepted, penetration to a degree was accepted and it was made exceptionally clear that all actors involved were already a part of the sex industry, therefore the performances had no influence on society’s sexual expectancies. Pornography soon took a turn during the French Revolution and was used against the aristocracy as political vengeance. Porn until then was only performed for the upper class. The political tactic later demised once royalty was beheaded, and pornography flourished amongst all classes. Kudos to the French. Maybe that explains their flamboyant openness to sexuality. At this point in time, the meaning of pornography was slowly diminishing between what it actually was and what impact that it had on society. However, because it was something of the “unknown” people could not get their hands off it. Laws were laid (especially by the US), but for some reason the laws were just an incentive to continue sourcing out porn. It’s kind of like putting a cookie jar out of a child’s reach; eventually he will get the cookie from the cookie jar. It wasn’t until the 20th Century that pornography really excelled. Men’s magazines were being published and distributed worldwide. The distribution is what initially evoked a universal taste for sexually explicit content. However, even though there was a growing market for porn, everything was still censored and monitored. The real deal-breaker between censored and tasteful (if you can call it that) porn, was the 21st century influence of the Internet. Okay, so now I have given you a brief history class on the founding of pornography, it’s now time to highlight the negative influence that the Internet has had on pornography in contemporary society. I shall revert back to my previous statement, ‘amateur lesbians fist and lick their anuses,’ or how about this one (it was a top pick on the website) ‘perfect, homemade, hairy whore takes it from behind with baseball bat.’ Besides the exemption of Hustler Magazine, which I don’t even think would have

such “creative” dialogue; pornography is actually becoming a joke. Even though I became temporarily addicted to watching such absurd footage, I was momentarily desensitised to the realism of sex and the expectancies in the bedroom. Now, I have heard some males state that porn isn’t real and it’s all acting, so I questioned their obsession with it. After all, if they know that the girl with a baseball bat is just a bit of unrealistic “fun”, then why the hell are they so immersed in it? So, instead of initially focusing on the problems that porn may be causing, I decided to direct my attention to the question of why men are so fixated on it. Is it because online pornography has become a porthole of desire that men wish to become a reality? And, if that’s the case, then don’t we all wish for some of our deepest desires to become a reality? What I’m trying to say is that there are people who deeply immerse themselves in the online pornography culture and hope for some element of it to become true.

‘EVEN THOUGH I BEC AME TEMPORARILY ADDICTED TO WATCHING SUCH ABSURD FOOTAGE, I WAS MOMENTARILY DESENSITISED TO THE REALISM OF SEX AND THE EXPECTANCIES IN THE BEDROOM’

Now boys, don’t get your knickers in a knot by my statement, as I’m not trying to generalise. All I’m saying is that there are people out there who don’t have filters and uncensored pornography feeds their unfiltered brains, which can lead them to stigmatise the act of sex in a negative light. This explains why the answers to my research of asking different men were so varied. Depending on the genetic make up of a male’s brain, this will decipher their understanding of pornography.

Some of you are probably reading this and thinking ‘well I watch porn, just because I like watching sex,’ which is fine. Because that part of porn is hot. However, if that’s the case for this group of men, then why can’t pornography revert back to something a little more tasteful? Maybe throw in some role-playing, or passionate, hot oral and sex between two people. It still delivers, minus the choking, yelling and painful acts that the woman has to endure.

Whilst some men don’t really see beyond the act of penetration itself, others take it to the extreme, which is why uncensored porn can provide them with the wrong idea to try and pursue their desire of animal porn, dominatrix, pedophilia etc, on someone or something.

The underlying problem with online pornography is that women are being exploited, and I honestly find it gross. This type of porn (penis penetrating three holes of an object) is pushing our expectancies in the bedroom where facts and figures have proven that men want more and women are becoming more insecure about their sexual capabilities. Men think it’s absurd that women find this certain pornography uncomfortable, however fail to forget the pressures women feel, if their men are getting a ‘fix’ on the computer, while watching another female perform such acts. Pornography is slowly taking a turn for the worse and the more that we condone the pushing of boundaries in the sex industry, the more socially acceptable the exploited woman is becoming.

Once upon a time, live pornography was a sexual act between two people. Not so long ago, or since online pornography has been created, the act between two has more so become an act of one penetrating into multiple holes. If you’re not catching my drift, then understand this. The majority of videos uploaded onto a popular pornography website are ‘blowjobs’ or ‘anal’ which involve women being objectified whilst either choking, or in awkward, yelling pain (men get turned on by this). As I said earlier, men understand that it is all acting, however when ‘homemade porn’ is also being uploaded of these women performing such acts on their men, it’s only human to begin to wonder why their own partner won’t do the same. I’m speaking on behalf of women, there’s no romance in expectancy, so how about you do something to earn your reward, just saying… Anyhow back on topic, I ask all men this question; why aren’t there videos of women shoving men’s faces in their vaginas and telling them to suck it? Or ‘hot man gets down and dirty for woman’? Probably because the porn industry revolves around tantalizing the males taste buds. Which is why men enjoy watching the submissive woman perform such acts. It empowers the male and feeds his ego. All men thrive off an ego boost. And now that their ego is being challenged by women in the business world, they get their kick from a cheeky little porn fix (even though it’s fake) through the Internet.

It would actually be a wise idea for the makers of pornography to stop investing their time in new and creative ways in which they can exploit a woman and her bits, and start considering the moneymaking opportunities in creating tasteful pornography, where women as viewers don’t feel so confronted by the penis. Not only will this induce women’s desires to have more fun with their men, but their confidence in the bedroom will also skyrocket. There is now a huge market in pornography for women. And women are the money-spenders of society. It’s only common sense for a shift in the sex industry to happen. Just food for thought.

‘THE MAJORITY OF VIDEOS UPLOADED ONTO A POPULAR PORNOGRAPHY WEBSITE ARE ‘BLOWJOBS’ OR ‘ANAL’ WHICH INVOLVE WOMEN BEING OBJECTIFIED WHILST EITHER CHOKING, OR IN AWKWARD, YELLING PAIN’

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Oslo Robert A. Kaufman There’s a famous Norwegian expression, Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, b are dårlige kl ær, ‘There is no bad weather, just bad clothes.’ But today, under an August sun on Oslo fjord, Bodies bronze under the golden kiss of summer And bundle their clothes, unfolded, on the dock. In Norwegian, there is no word for ‘city.’

“Hipster” Habitat: probably a place you’ve never heard of. Aims to look indifferent, spends long time doing so.

URBAN SPECIMENS BEEP! BUZZ!

DING

“Yoga Pants” Seen in highly populated areas to create illusion of active lifestyle. Clothing remains in pristine condition.

“Party animal” Able to survive lowest of temperatures in lowest of necklines. Diet: orange juice and [insert name of spirit].

“tech addict” Denoted through myriad of clicks, buzzes, dings and beeps. Heard but rarely seen. approach with caution.

U R B A N