back\slash, Volume 2 Issue 1 \\ August 09 by Backslash, Inc

september-october \\volume 2 issue 1\\ the dream issue

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Poli sci The Student Loan Crisis

Spit It Out FSU: Jane Jane Pollock UCF: Controlling Living Cells UM: Bad Art on Campus UF: The Chris McCarty Band UF: The Minus Sign is Back FIU:Golden Age of Television

Humanities Drum Circles Students Growing Greens Reviews Music Festivals

The Future AIDS Green Products

Cover Story Lil' Wayne: The American Dream

FAshion The Swimsuit Shoot

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On the Ball

● Florida Football Preview 56 5 Epic Florida Tailgates 60

The Slash LFL Vodooism LSD Research Shocking Quotes Insane Websites Epic Fail-CNN Striking Statistics Smoking Vaporizer New Florida Laws Food and Drink Drinking Game

● 64 65 65 65 66 66 66 66 67 67 67

The Who

● 70 Rachel Goodrich Uber Pool Party 73 Shopbar 74

The Joints Jazid Transit Lounge Electric Pickle PS-14

● 78 78 79 79

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Content Director \\ A Platform for Expression \\ What you are about to read is a localized and unrestrained snapshot of the Florida college lifestyle. But in addition to serving as a guide for you, the following pages are a platform for you to express yourself and let your voice be heard. back\slash is different than any other publication you've ever read because back\slash is a forum for you to express your unbridled opinions, inform each other, and set things right. back\slash is by and for students; and user generated, the power is in your hands. This is your magazine. Through backslashmagazine.com we open the door for you to submit art, articles, music, and short films to be critiqued, as well as graphic designs to be used in advertisements. This website is your window to being published, (in print and online) and I hope you take the opportunity to participate in this new media. If you are a writer, photographer, painter, filmmaker, graphic designer, model, or musician, I invite you to upload your work for others to vote on. The winning work from each school and each medium will be featured in our next issue. As always, it has been a pleasure helping to create this magazine for you and I am excited to hear your positive and negative feedback. If you would like to be a part of this magazine, in any way, please contact me at vince@backslashonline.com.

Enjoy,

Vincent Cimilluca

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from the Statewide

Art Director \\ The Cover was Hand Drawn \\ The cover of this issue of back\slash was created by digitally photographing and combining two graphite on acetate sketches hand-drawn by Rodney Jackson, CVO and co-founder of Backslash, Inc. In case our work has not yet given it away, you should be aware that our intention was not (by any means) to adhere to "conventional graphic design principles" in creating this issue; rather, the complete opposite was the case. In an attempt to make this issue appear as raw and as unrestrained as it sounds, we, as artists, chose to ignore the traditional "rules of graphic design" and pushed envelopes with our work. On that note, I will let the magazine speak for itself. I appreciate you taking the time to read this issue, and I'd love to hear your feedback. You can reach me at mike@backslashonline.com

Designing,

Mike McCormack

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\\ content team

content director Vince Cimilluca senior editor of ‘The Joints’ Valerie Brackett senior editor of ‘on the ball’ Luca messina

back\slash Niche Marketing

Vice President joey difrancesco creative director Rodney Jackson Director of advertising: Miami John alpert \\ john@backslashonline.com Director of advertising: Gainesville and tampa erik vosatka \\ erik@backslashonline.com Director of advertising: Tallahassee Tatiana arias \\ tatiana@backslashonline.com

\\ art team

Art Director Mike McCormack Graphic designers the magnetist, rjackson, Fernando pino, Georgieanna Gross Illustrators Rodney Jackson Photographers Mackenzie Levine, NZO, matt bontrager, Anais Ganouna

backslash, Inc.

Chief Executive Officer \\ Mike McCormack Chief Business Development Officer \\ Jeremy Modest Chief Marketing Officer \\ Valerie Brackett Director of Interactive Marketing \\ Michael Kennedy Director of promotions \\ LEster hussie Director of IT \\ Brandon Little

contributors and consultants

Brendan Mackesy \\ Mike Nyman \\ Jose Aparicio KrisLiaugminas \\ Michael Clemente \\ Robert Pemstein Sarah Chase \\ Kimberly Treiber \\ Dennis Picone Santi Godfrid \\ Michael Hacker \\ brandon Little Apryl Wall \\ Eric Ramsley \\ Amy Grossinger Giselle Rodriguez \\ Angelo Catino \\ Deborah Acosta Yolande Jackson \\ Lester Hussie Elizabeth Ginsberg \\ Marco Magaritoff Paul Physioc \\ Kelsey Pinault \\ S.H. Pearson \\ Luca Messina Albert Burckard \\ Sonny Palta \\ Justin Fairweather Adrinda Peirre \\ Nathan Garrison Tiffany Provenzano \\ Danny Bull \\ Travis Tillery Ben Borie \\ Christopher Lazaga \\ Mary Korwel Travis Gordon \\ AMIEE SUTHERS \\ ROBERT ANDREWS PETE GROVERMAN \ \Nelson hernandez \\ Luca Messina Stephanie (Miss Long) Long) \\ Christina Padis \\ Anna Miorelli alex kaplan \\ Joey Vastolla eric mcCoy \\ nelson hernandez \\ luca messina Vanessa Bacet \\ lauren camar RICHARD SALMON \\ CRISTINA HALL

as a team, we would like to thank

first and foremost, you our readers... \\ michelle santos and our extended family at angstrom printing, formally St. Ives of hollywood \\ nocturnal night club, cabana one, carringtons, and gordon biersch for always hooking it UP \\ the diaspora vibe gallery \\ yolande jackson \\ the map lady \\ god \\ darryl Heslop \\ alex pierre \\ THE CIMILLUCAS \\ radiate FM \\ the difrancesco family \\ DONNA SHALALA \\ and joseph mccormack, may he rest in peace \\

cover: TWO SEPERATE Graphite on acetate sketches by rodney jackson (Weezie: 2' x 4' & lead-ins: 8 1/2" x 11") work photographed by enzo

This issue of back\slash Magazine was distributed to readers free of charge at fifteen schools across the State of Florida. A different version of this issue was published for Orlando, Miami, Gainesville, and Tallahassee. back\ slash is distributed on and off campus by hand and in news stands to college students free of charge. All materials © 2009 Backslash, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited. The views and opinions expressed within are those of our contributors and are in no way endorsed by Backslash Inc nor its staff. september-october \\volume 2 issue 1\\ the dream issue

1221 Brickell Avenue \\ 9th floor \\ Miami, Florida 33131 \\ 305.377.8796

\\ september - october \\ volume 2 issue 1

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Reader responses to the University of Miami Administration's decision to ban the circulation of back\slash magazine at UMiami last May back\slash, Typical... the University of Miami acting like parking meter attendants, banning a magazine created by their own students and alum. To be fair, this decision was probably made by people that don't represent the true spirit of the U, but regardless, shouldn't these administrators embrace their own students, especially if they need help? The magazine was probably born out of ideas perpetuated at the school anyways, which should bring pride not disdain. And let's get to the important point: Students actually enjoy reading back\lash.If you're the person who banned this magazine at UM, ask yourself whether that contributed to the university's mission. And if you say you were just doing your job... maybe you should ask yourself if your job is in fact a redundancy in the system; an unnecessary cog in the Umiami wheel. _David

THE COLLEGE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE \ \ U M \ \ F I U \ \ M D C

California

Assemblyman

Tom

Ammiano’s

3toDget Plan the US BACK IN THE BLACK

What the Hell

is HIPSTER

ISIAH THOMAS to the rescue at

FIU

Art Director Mike McCormack Content Director Vincent Cimilluca COVER R. Jackson

email vince@backslashonline.com

april - july \\ volume 1 issue 4 \\ the 3d issue

back\slash, I believe the University of Miami should tread lightly in banning publications from their school or President Shalala should have her The Presidential Medal of Freedom revoked. Having an business student like Mike McCormack engage the publishing world could be a testament to the caliber of student the University of Miami is pumping out. By offering restrictive guidelines they effectively set back\slash up for failure, not allowing on campus circulation and by disciplining Mike and his team. Yes, UM is a private institution, but I think the freedom of the press and speech should transcend those boundaries. It would do UM well to welcome back back\slash with open arms and no restrictions before the freedom of the press flexes their muscles and unleashes a tidal wave of bad publicity for the University. _Michael Hacker back\slash The University of Miami is not the shining example of free expression it claims to be. It certainly appears that UM has rigged the rules to set up their own students for failure, and I don't blame you guys one bit for not taking it lying down. I think an important question is why back\slash was limited to only 3 racks on all of UM's campus and restrained from hand distribution. Is it possible that back\slash was limited to 3 racks at the request of the Hurricane's (the UM Newspaper) staff, who clearly have a very close relationship with UM's administrators? If I was trying to start a new publication on campus as a UM student and was inhibited like this, while the other publications have God-knows-how-many (I know I’ve seen their racks in and outside of pretty much every building on campus), I’d feel some disdain too…in fact, I’d feel slapped in the face by the university I was paying $40k per year to attend. It sounds like UM is protecting their “baby”, newspaper, from unwanted criticism and competition. Typical. Unless UM rescinds their ban, I have a feeling they have some very bad press coming their way. _Alex Malbin

\\ september - october \\ volume 2 issue 1

back\slash University of Miami should back down on this one... when it is a publication by students for students... lets be real here, this isn't Sports Illustrated selling publications this is a student run publication GIVING AWAY copies. What's' wrong with allowing back\ slash to be given away? It is NOT Mastercard or Amex giving away things this is students, UM students... giving away a publication about other students... there is a fine line I think they UM just crossed. GEAR DOWN MIAMI... _Matt Byrd back\slash As a graduate of the UF College of Journalism and Communications, I'm truly appalled. The mere fact that a noted educational institution would ban one of its own students from growing and succeeding in an already difficult environment and economy is terribly upsetting. Rather than bully the underdog, why not step up and lend a hand? This is completely nonsensical. The University of Miami administration needs to take a step back and look at the big picture. You have a superstar in the making who can bring excellent publicity to your school, take notice and take positive action towards Back/Slash. _Jessica De La Torre back\slash This is a great project, in the American tradition of free speech, entrepreneurial spirit, dedication and hard work. Don't kill the dream UM, especially with bogus reasons and especially during tough economic times. Backslash deserves to be distributed on campus. UM should revert their decision ASAP and congratulate the Backslash Staff for their success. UM should show the example. _Ben Borie

Complete Conversation available at The Miami New Time's Rip Tide Blog: blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2009/05/blackballing_backslash_magazin.php

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IF EVERYBODY AGREES THAT TYPICAL BLOWS, WHY IS TYPICAL SO TYPICAL?

miamiadschool.com

\\ september - october \\ volume 2 issue 1

On the glorious battlefield known as the “advertising industry” where we the troops are charged with shaping culture by wielding that which breaks through and reinvents, you’ll be hard pressed to find a single soul who’ll argue with the fact that Typical just doesn’t cut it. It’s a universal truth, written everywhere we look. Rosser Reeves once said that “to be Typical is to be invisible.” Gossage wrote that “the path to irrelevance goes through Typical Town.” And who can forget when Alex Bogusky muttered to himself at a urinal in Cannes, “If you want to suck an egg, reach into the jar marked Typical.” But while it’s easy to say “we’re not your Typical portfolio school,” it’s quite another matter to prove it. So we’ll do both. Here’s the part where we say it. We’ll start with “we’re not your Typical portfolio school.” Then we’ll say “there’s nothing Typical about us.” Next there’s “Typical doesn’t think the way we think,” and “Typical doesn’t do things the way we do.” Moreover, “Typical doesn’t know anything about social media, it doesn’t understand music, it can’t write a sitcom or produce a web film and it’s about as iSavvy as your grandmother.” And to be sure, “Typical is completely lost when it comes to making brands popular in popular culture —it doesn’t post, upload, seed, blog, tweet or Digg. Hell, Typical doesn’t even know what Digg is. But we know all of this stuff. Which is why we’re anything but Typical.” Here’s the part where we prove it. Typical is not partnered with a network of proven thought leadership. We are. (Does Crispin Porter + Bogusky ring a bell?) Typical hasn’t compiled a roster of guest - instructor rockstars from the world’s best communications agencies and culturists. We have. Typical doesn’t invest in a technology infrastructure that can put pupils face to face with instructors all over the world (literally) at the flick of a Polycom remote. We do. Typical hasn’t made it possible for students to gain invaluable work experience all over the globe—in places like Dubai, Shanghai and Amsterdam. With our Quarter Away program, we most certainly have. And here’s the part where we give Typical some credit. Typical does produce graduates. And technically speaking, those graduates often show up ready to work with perfectly decent portfolios. So you can go with Typical if you want, and you might even have some success. But the problem is Typical doesn’t seem to realize that today the industry is calling for more than graduates with good books. It’s calling for fame generators, trendsetters and game changers. People we like to think of as “Pop Culture Engineers.” Which is why, in an effort to put our money directly where our mouth is (also not Typical), we’re calling our program the School of Pop Culture Engineering (from Miami Ad School). See that? Even our name isn’t Typical. The only thing left to do now is give this thing an ending that isn’t Typical either. So here goes: Chocolate chip cookies kill kittens.

MIAMI AD SCHOOL

volume 2 issue 1 \\ september - october \\

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THE Student Loan CRISIS Words-Michael Hacker

\\ MontClair ALum

questions to ask before taking out a college loan What is the interest rate of the loan? Will the interest rate remain the same for the entire life of the loan? What is the total amount I will need to pay over the life of the loan, and what will my monthly payments be? What borrower benefits and interest rate discounts do the lenders offer? Which of those benefits are contingent on making a certain number of consecutive on-time payments? What percentage of borrowers actually receive the borrower benefits or rate discounts that are contingent on a certain number of on-time payments? Does the lender typically sell its loans? Has the lender agreed to sell loans to another lender? Will my borrower benefits and rate discounts continue if my loan is sold? How many students actually receive a lender’s advertised “as low as” interest rate? When will repayment begin, and will interest start accruing while I’m in school? What are the penalties for missing monthly payments? How does the financial aid office select preferred lenders?

INFORMATION TO HELP YOU FIND THE BEST OPTION FOR YOUR STUDENT LOAN AND ADVICE ON HOW YOU CAN REPAY THEM DOWN THE LINE et’s face it, not every one of our parents is a millionaire. With the constant rise of college tuition, students are always being nickeled and dimed with everything from parking passes, outlandishly-priced books, and facility fees for buildings they've never heard of — the bottom line is that without the help of student loans, college is out of financial reach for millions of Americans, Student loans, in general, are a great way to fund your college experience. When I was in school, friends of mine took out thousands of dollars extra each semester, just to fund their college lifestyle without having to work. I opted to pay out of pocket for my education and my lifestyle (and worked my ass off in order to do so) and I only took out loans when I was desperate; I ended up with about $11,000 in debt, where as others may have up to and over $100,000 in loans for the same 4 year period. (Yes I graduated on time.) The loans themselves were easy enough to secure. Skim a couple paragraphs, sign a couple papers, dot a couple I’s, cross some T’s and voila! I’m indebted to Sallie Mae for at least ten years after college. However, in the whole 30 minutes or so it took to essentially fund our future, we miss a lot of the fine print -- the little tidbits lenders put in size 4 font at the very end of the 40-page document. With the demise of the sub-prime loan market (that big bubble that popped making the economy tank some months ago) I began to ask myself, “Was it really such a big surprise?” Most news stations covered the sub-prime homeowner loans with the vigor of the first Iraqi War, throwing almost slanderous epitaphs like “Predatory lending practices”. But in all of the hubbub about home loans, a giant market went almost unnoticed -- What about the millions of student loans dealt out every year worth untold billions of dollars? What happens to these loans once the letters start coming in for collection?

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To start, the good news for students is that there are still hundreds of lenders out there, giving borrowers plenty of options; and the government is still capping interest rates on Stafford, Perkins, and Plus loans. The bad news is that your school probably steers you in the direction of a financial partner of their choice, leaving you vulnerable to the “predatory practices” you probably read about in the newspaper. In New York, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo rolled out an investigation into the practice of colleges and universities becoming sole private partners with single lenders. Through these exclusive deals, lenders and Universities were exploiting the college loan process for extraordinary gifts and financial gain. If you are victim to this unethical practice, or are aware of it occurring at your school, contact the Florida Attorney General's Office immediately. When I graduated college five years ago, I was beyond relieved. As the old saying goes, “No more papers, no more books.” How could I not be ecstatic? I was well on my way to being a CEO making 200 grand in no time. However, no one prepares you for what will happen in the months or years after the graduation day, financially or otherwise. I took a job, like most college grads, at the bottom of the totem pole, making next to nothing -- a far cry from the 200k jobs that I had prepared myself for. The $200 a month school bill I received after 6 months made me want to curl into a ball and cry -- $200 a month equates to $2400 a year taken off my already miniscule paycheck. After a

year of struggling to make payments on my school loan and day-to-day expenses, I called my loan provider and asked what they can do. I found out there are, in fact, many options available to those repaying their federal loans. For example, Sallie Mae's Federal Student Loans have various repayment options: Standard repayment is the plan you are automatically put into upon graduation or repayment time and is contingent upon your overall loan amount. The extended repayment option offers an immediate lower payment by lengthening the repayment time by a number of years. Graduated repayment makes your monthly payments start off lower and gradually increase over the course of the loan.

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After learning about the different options I had to choose from, I contacted a representative at Sallie Mae. We discussed my situation and the woman agreed that the extended repayment was the way to go. As a result, I found I could live more comfortably and have my repayment gradually increase as I ascend up the salary ladder. But what happens if you can’t pay? Should you just stop paying monthly? There are many reasons why you may be unable to pay -- maybe you decided to go to graduate school, or worse yet -- maybe you lost your job in the horrible market crash. Whatever your reasons for hardship may be, you are better off calling your lender to tell them your situation. If you have been laid off from work or you are still attending school, you may be able to

The good news for students is that there are still hundreds of lenders out there, giving borrowers plenty of options. Income-sensitive repayment allows you to repay your loans based on a percentage of your monthly income. Income-based repayment allows you to make payments that are contingent upon the type of loan you have (see your loan provider for details), your loan amount, and your monthly income. If you have a private student loan, terms vary per lender. It is best to contact a representative to find out these terms and to discuss different options.

apply for deferment or forbearance. So remember, before you take out a loan, ask questions like those in the table on page 20. And remember, indebting yourself for your education is worth the headache and the extra legwork, especially if you graduate and go to work in a career you absolutely love. Just be very conscientious when you are making your loan decisions; they will affect the rest of your life. comment, read more, and join our staff at: backslashmagazine.com

volume 2 issue 1 \\ september - october \\

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SPIT IT OUT

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: the unrestrained voices of students Jane Jane Pollock The Florida State University, Tallahassee

Jane Jane Pollock’s sound is described as “a disastrous collage of beauty accompanied by a distraught marching band.” Their minimal experimental and classical folk style is dreamingly eclectic. It creates moods of relaxation while keeping the door open to creepy noises of enigmatic instruments whirling you into an abyss of emotion. It’s the type of music that shoots gritty images of childhood love and fear, tweaking your nostalgic sense into oblivion. Going through their diverse collection, it is difficult to find something that doesn’t hit home, considering that their work ranges from classical pieces about Tallahassee to soundtrack landscapes suited for haunted animated chase scenes. The band consists of four members, Michael Arcos, Heather Lee, Ian Weir, and Chantal Marie. They recently parted ways with Florida to settle down in Southern Georgia but they still show their love to the state that they grew up in by playing shows in Miami and Tallahassee, where members were raised. This band cannot be contained in any connotation of the word and the sum of the members’ talents and visions will constantly allow them to create innovative pieces of beauty for years to come. Check them out at myspace.com/janejanepollock. _Carrie Esposito \\ FSU '10

Controlling Living Cells with Light University of Central Florida, Orlando There have been major advances in Stem Cell research but one thing that has been an obstacle in using them for a cure, is our ability to direct them. This has been a major problem in the utility of the cells until this past summer, when a team from the University of Central Florida, used induced torques from gentle light energy to drive the cells motility – their ability to move spontaneously - and change the orientation of cells within cultures. This technique allows scientists to semi-conduct the movement of the cells without altering their chemical makeup. The main driving force behind the movement of these cells is a protein within the cell called actin. Over two hours under low-intensity polarized light, the cells migrate from a random mixture into a uniform line–up. At the 2009 conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/ International Quantum Electronics, the results were presented by a team led by Aristide Dogariu, an optical scientist at the College of Optics and Photonics, and Kiminobu Sugaya, a stem cell researcher at the College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. With this newfound technique, scientists will now be able to direct the power of the stem cells and use them more efficiently in the human body. _Barb Abney, Edited by John Peck \\ UCF '09

Bad Art on Campus The University of Miami, Coral Gables Between one of my classes about six months ago, I decided that it has been a while since I walked around campus and just enjoyed the scenery. Sadly, my reminiscence drifted towards confusion over the pieces of newly placed modern art sprouting out like weeds amongst the grass, obstructing and ruining the serenity of the landscape. Jagged and sterile images of randomly intersecting steel beams in one corner, a large rusting circle surrounded by falling metals poles in the next, a small out-of -place sculpture of a man with a lack of expression hides in his crotch in front of the lake. Art should flourish at a prestigious University but the art should be ornamental and make sense to its surroundings, e.g., the musical note guitar near the music school. Unless those steel beams belong to the fallen World Trade Center please remove them from campus or put them towards the new UC if you want them to have any practicality. This is not a singular complaint but a near consensus from the students at this school. Send an apology letter to the artist, have us pay for deconstruction, and replace them with better art or grass. Take whatever route necessary to remove these cancers from this beautiful campus. _Angelo Catino UM \\ '11

Something unfair happening at school? Is no one listening? Use back\slash as a platform to make things right... Be an informant. Email your news to news@backslashonline.com

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Chris McCarty Band The University of Florida, Gainesville How is this artist still unsigned? Let’s list the accolades; Chris McCartey has opened up for James Brown, Dave Matthews Band, The Wailers, G Love, and Sugar Ray. His song “The Next One” is on the soundtrack for The Sims and he received runner-up in the Conan O Brien’s band search a while back. All this didn’t happen by chance, Chris McCarty’s soulful voice and amazing acoustic guitar accompaniment has led him to this point. He structures his songs in a way that gives his voice an eclectic style with no boundaries. One minute he is on a down tempo groove harmonizing with inspiring lyrics, then he immediately picks the beat back up, quick fires verses of poetry, and finishes it off with some passionate R&B, simply amazing. Over the years, Chris McCarty has been given small doses of success, in the form of being on a video game soundtrack and opening for popular bands, but these feats are far from the triumph his talent warrants. _Jessie Stern \\ UF '12

The Minus Sign is Back The University of Florida, Gainesville UF implemented the minus sign into their grading system at the beginning of this year. Enacted after the Summer B semester, grades of an A-, B-, C- and D- will now be given to students who receive number grades that land within the newly established range. A- equals 3.67, B- equals 2.67, and a C- equals 1.67. What does this mean for the students? In reality, the only implication this new system will have is a student knowing that he/she was that much closer to passing a degree related course when they receive a C-. Other than altering what honors title a student graduates with, a particular GPA system does not matter when one is applying to a graduate school. This is because there is a system in place that levels the playing field for all schools and averages the GPA accordingly. So don’t fret if you get that A- instead of an A because it will all work out in the end. _Ben Liuckman \\UF '11

The Golden Age of Television Florida International University, Miami Golden Age of Television is taking over Miami faster than you can say, “level to ziggonaut-cloud city.” They are up and coming, causing what appears to be the gold rush of 2009; so drop your picks & shovels and leave your gold digging puns behind, cause Golden age is not your common household metal. They are a candy coated, 8-bit infused, massacre on the mind, they are every nostalgia you ever had, connected to a NES life support, all of which, originating from the deviant minds of band members; Mikal Hernandez, Nick Aponte and Mike Vassallo. You may want to try your fortunes at one of their various shows around town, their live shows are set to blow your mind, with thrashing instrumentals and banshee-esque catcalls demanding, “I wanna know where the golds at!!!!, Give me the gold.” Whether you’re able to understand the complexity behind the sound or whether your drawn into the nostalgic movie samples woven into every song, there is no way to escape the energy radiating off the stage. To get your hands on a piece of the gold, check them out at www.myspace.com/ goldenageoftelevision or facebook, Golden Age of Television, “cause if it ain’t gold, it ain’t good.” _ Anna Miorelli FIU \\ '11

volume volume 2 2 issue issue 1 1 \\ \\ september september -- october october \\ \\

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Drum Circle Circles Words-Valerie Brackett

\\ UM

PHOTOGRAPHY-VINCENT CIMILLUCA

Alum

\\ UM

Every full Moon, hundreds gather to celebrate their connection to nature. Every Full moon, the police arrive at midnight... irty Collins Avenue streetlights wash over us as we walk behind people with dreadlocks, bongos slung over their shoulders and sacks full of shakers. For years, the Miami Beach drum circle has taken place every full moon on the coastline between 75th and 85th street. Distant tinkering and thumping is heard as we walk across Collins to meet the dusty sand. South Beach’s glitz and glam falls away like a silk dress once we step into the illuminated darkness. The subversive ceremony sometimes ranges from ten or twenty people to as large as two to four hundred, depending on the day of the week and other activities on Miami Beach. The location changes every month to deceive police, and despite police efforts to find and disband the ceremony, there is always a significant turnout. As we leave the apex of flashy clubs and bars, we are enclosed in beach bushes. In the shadows, a million primal, feline eyes that scan hopefully for disposed food, scatter as we approach the beach’s entrance. We escape the brush and spot the huge mass of people ahead. No advertisements are distributed to promote the circle. No shady strangers with wristbands assault you on the sidewalks of SoBe begging you to check out the latest trend. Only word of mouth and the full moon tell devotees when and where the circle will take place. The drums are in my chest now. I am transfixed by the sight of men spinning fireballs attached to strings. As we approach the nucleus of the crowd, we pass people lying on sheets drawn across the sand, beer cans strewn about and weed in the air. We pass children with firecrackers and men selling tofu wraps and salad for a hefty “donation” of $5. Grandmas with babies rock back and forth to the music. Women in wet swimsuits dance with no caution. Unlike other historical circles, there is no leader conducting the rhythms. Men of all ages with every kind of percussion instrument are settled in a circle,

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ircles s lost in a communal performance. Lost in their hands, their hearts. Some have their eyes closed in concentration; while others, excited by the dancing, smile with encouragement. Drums are one of the oldest instruments on earth; and they have been part of every kind of culture for centuries. Drum circles have been used at harvest rituals and solstice gatherings in South America, as well as in rites of passages, marriage ceremonies and other celebrations in Africa. In Native American cultures, drum circles were used as a form of communication and healing. Only recently has modern America experimented with drum circles as a form of meditation or as alternative therapies for illnesses. Beginning in the 1960’s, recreational drumming in groups became more common in large American cities. This counter-culture style of expression was embraced by mainstream society and is still prevalent throughout the United States. Hippie Hill in San Francisco still hosts its drum circle which has been going on for more than forty years. The long famous Harlem drumming group at Marcus Garvey Park has lasted for decades. However, incoming residents are beginning to complain and the Harlem recreational drumming scene is beginning to decline. On my search to determine the essence of this particular underground ritual, I talked to many people that considered the drum circle a positive thing for the community. “You’re just out here in nature with the moon. It just has a really good energy, a good vibe. You can

feel the energy, you can feel the drums. Everyone is dancing and just having a good time. It’s very peaceful. People come out here with their kids and it’s a nice fellowship of human beings hanging out at a gathering,” says one veteran. Melissa, 37, is a Miami Beach resident who comes every month to the ceremony. She insists the prevalent drugs are not a problem. “It is a peaceful gathering. Everyone is here to enjoy themselves. You never see any fights break out or drug deals being done. Everyone is here for the music and atmosphere.” I stumbled upon, Luis Mejia 57 (pictured left), who is a long time lover of full moon drum circles. His work with indigenous tribes in Columbia taught him how important full moon drum circles are for the soul. “It is a symbol of the moon at its brightest and it is a symbol of the light inside us. But also the moon reflects the sun. So for indigenous people, a full moon represents a tremendous amount of energy that comes to the earth and activates people, awakens a higher self. And the drums are just an expression or celebration of this new light.” Adversaries of the ceremonies claim they are a nuisance and a disruption of the community. Miami Beach’s drum circle is at constant battle with the police. Soon after our arrival, black uniforms with shiny badges stop the music and threaten arrests and fines. When I ask the police about fines, they are vague and direct my questions to the adjacent department. A female officer who refused to be on record claims they are just maintaining safety, crowd control and

noise ordinances. When asked if fines were to be issued, she directed me to a Code Enforcement agent. “You can be here before twelve o’clock. You can talk but you cannot play any instruments whatsoever, because you are actually breaking a city of Miami Beach noise ordinance,” the Code Enforcement agent claims, who refuses to give me his name. When asked about the fines, he directs me back to the same officers who directed me to him, adding to the irony of the situation. Maintaining safety? Who was in danger? Yes some people have drugs; and yes there is lax security. But there have never been reports of fights or trips to the emergency room during the Miami Beach drumming. How many fights and medical emergencies happen in the massive, drug-infested clubs lined along South beach? Are they shut down by the police? Few and far between. Drum circles have always been about the union and participation of people. They are peaceful rituals that focus on expression and a heightened sense of self. It seems hypocritical that the wild city of Miami Beach places such harsh limits on ceremonies that stem from peace and unification. Amidst the materialistic madness of the city, drum circles are a refreshing fix for many. This is an ancient activity that should be protected and continued. The noise ordinances will probably never go away, but then again, neither will the drumming. As one beaded, sandy drummer said as he packed his things, "They can bitch all they want, but they can’t stop the desire to drum.”

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mini-feature

: self sufficiency

Students Growing Greens -ValERie Syren

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Sarah Santi's Indoor Growhouse

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ALUM

You learn to grow plants in shallow beds such as kiddie pools or used tires, and you set up a simple irrigation system to water them.

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fter eighteen years of relying on your parents to support you, it’s finally time to head off to college and learn to live on your own. This newly acquired sense of independence can make one feel invigorated, excited, proud, and above all... hungry. So where’s the food? Well, there’s the grocery store around the corner, countless vending machines on campus, and an endless variety of restaurants. All this food is readily available for your convenience. Let’s think about this for a minute: the food products were first grown by someone else on a farm or in a lab (where they undoubtedly went through the process of genetic modification). After that, the food is then packaged by one person, shipped by yet another person, and stored on the shelves of a supermarket. All of this effort was completed just for you, the consumer — to make your life easier. You call that independence? Hardly. If you really want to take control of your own life, start with your food. It does not take that much effort to grow just a few things on your own and the feeling of satisfaction that occurs with this accomplishment is

priceless. Even supplementing your diet with a piece of fruit grown from your very own tree is better than relying on other sources for all of your food. There are positive environmental impacts that accompany your foodgrowing experience, including fuel reduction and soil rejuvenation, but the social benefits are a bit more interesting to contemplate. There is a sort of “monkey see, monkey do” phenomenon that occurs with food-growing. If you plant a citrus tree in your yard that produces an abundance of fruit one year, you’ll probably see your neighbor with a citrus tree in his yard the next year. And, you’ll probably start sharing advice on some of the best methods to fertilize the trees. This concept is the foundation for the community garden, which I’ll discuss later. The greatest benefit of a community garden may not even be the food itself, but the camaraderie that develops between the growers. You can even make a little bit of money once your food really takes off. Many trees and plants will produce too much food once they have been established. You can then take this excess food and sell it to your neighbors or take it to a

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local farmer’s market to make a profit. The prospect of extra cash should have most college students intrigued, so let’s start discussing some of the basics of growing food. We’ll take a look at the abundance of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that grow in Florida, how to overcome the obstacles of growing food in a dorm or apartment, and some quick steps to getting a few things started. First of all, the types of food that you can grow will depend on the area of Florida where you reside. For example, people living in Miami will be overloaded with mangoes and coconuts, while people in Gainesville will have a bunch of berries and corn. There are all kinds of fruits that grow in our wonderful state, especially south Florida. The climate of south Florida allows us to grow a variety of tropical fruits that cannot be grown anywhere else in the continental United ...continued on next spread

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If you don’t even have your own kitchen, I’m sure you don’t have any lawn space. This is a serious problem, but There are two solutions. States. Many of these fruits will sound unfamiliar to most people, like sapote and atemoya, but these discoveries are part of the fun of growing food. Some other tropical fruits that grow in South Florida are mango, papaya, pineapple, dragon fruit, passion fruit, mulberry, banana, lychee, loquat, avocado, guava, jackfruit, kiwi, mamey, pomegranate, and star fruit. You can also grow coffee, cacao (chocolate!), coconut, macadamia nuts, and cashews. Inland areas and the parts of the state above South Florida can grow peaches, nectarines, melons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and muscadine grapes. And of course, you can grow all kinds of citrus in any part of the state – oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, tangerines, and more. Most herbs will grow in Florida, especially basil and mint, but check out what the local nurseries and garden

centers are selling. Sometimes you can find herbs that you would never expect to grow here. A bunch of vegetables will grow here, too. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, greens, squash, and sweet potatoes are just a few to try out. Now, where do you get all of these plants? Most vegetable plants and herbs can be found at local nurseries and in the garden centers at major hardware stores. There are some plants that you can start to grow with a seed and you can buy these seeds online or in the garden centers. You will find your fruit trees at local nurseries. Some of the more exotic fruits will only be at select nurseries, but for those of you in the Miami area, I know of a great place. Pine Island nursery is located off of SW 184th Street, and it takes about 20-30 minutes

to get there from Florida International University. At this point, many of you are probably trying to think of a place to start growing, especially if you live in a dorm. If you don’t even have your own kitchen, I’m sure you don’t have any lawn space on campus. There are two solutions to this problem. Urban gardening utilizes a variety of fascinating techniques. These will allow you to grow food in very limited spaces, such as rooftops or patios. The details for this technique would take up an entire article on their own, but basically you learn to grow plants in shallow beds such as kiddie pools or used tires, and you set up a simple irrigation system to water them. A bunch of instructional information can be found online, and for those of you in the Fort Myers area, go check out ECHO on Durrance Road. The other solution focuses on community gardens. With this solution, an open space is shared by many people to grow plants. People can have individual plots within the gardens, or they can share bigger plants such as citrus trees. This whole concept gives people the opportunity to grow food and share advice and ideas. The students at the University of Florida grasped this concept a long time ago. For decades the students have been using plots on campus to grow their own vegetables, herbs, and fruits. The student agricultural plots not only provide them with food, but they also give the students opportunities to conduct research and experiments with plants. For those of you interested in starting a community garden in your apartment complex or student housing, there will need to be some organizing on your part. You will need to gather support from your neighbors, get in contact with your R.A. or landlord, and find a piece of nearby land that is suitable for growing food. It may sound like a lot of work, but the benefits are worth it. So, are you ready to get started on something really quick?

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: music, books, and a documentary

1 \\ Julian Plenti is … Skyscraper

7 \\ world's greatest dad Enter the twisted mind of Bobcat Goldthwaith. After a failed attempt at a movie based on a woman having sex with a dog, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, Bobcat digs deeper into his demented psyche to dredge up this surprisingly entertaining dark-comedy. The movie is based around the glorification of the school’s most perverted and hated student who has died of autoerotic asphyxiation. Robin Williams plays Lance Clayton, a struggling writer that finds opportunity by twisting this accidental death of his son into a suicide. This eventually leads the students to turn their guilt of his death into fabricated love of his fabricated personality. Robin Williams, after multiple roles in emotionless family comedies finally allows himself to once again show how great of an actor he truly is in this challenging role. The movie as a whole is disgusting and disturbing but for some escaping reason it works. When humor, in some scenes, cannot alleviate inherit sadness, it is replaced with psychological illuminations of the surrounding characters that build the spine of this movie. On moral grounds, I cannot suggest this movie to anyone, but if you’re looking for a break from plot-less CGI porn of the summer; I would give this movie a try. _Amanda Jones \\ Valencia comment, read more, and join our staff at: backslashmagazine.com

Musician : Paul Banks, singer for Interpol, is caught in the dichotomy of his creative impulses. In his first attempt at a solo project, under the name Julian Plenti, Banks creates an album that oscillates between displaced tracings of his current band Interpol and novel melodic orchestrations of ambience. Skyscraper is a near-masterpiece. When Julian decides to dismantle the sounds of his current band and approach the song with a pure and blank slate, it results in stargazing sounds of passion. He manages to intertwine vulnerable lyrics with layered experimental crescendos that beautifully accompany his surprisingly soothing voice. Sadly, when the self-placed rubber band around his imagination snaps back, it hurls him into the depths of overly filtered shallow synth-rock that accompany two songs on the album and taint a few more. These songs ruin the flow of what could have been one of the best albums of the year. _Josh Lemmings \\ FIU

2 \\ An experiment gone wrong New Book : David Beckham has long been one of the world's most followed athletes, News of Beckham consumed the sports world in 2007, when he announced that he would transfer from the prestigious Real Madrid soccer club to the obscure Los Angeles Galaxy of America’s Major League Soccer, a team and a league relatively unknown throughout the United States, much less the world. Charged with the daunting task of revitalizing soccer throughout the United States and generating new interest in the sport, Beckham soon proved either unwilling or unable to live up to expectations. After his brief tenure in Los Angeles resulted in disappointment and injury, he quickly bailed for Italy where he spent five months playing with the AC Milan club. Author Grant Wahl brings us a riveting account of the of U.S. soccer’s experiment with Beckham, leading us to discover just what exactly went wrong and why. In his new book, "The Beckham Experiment: How the World’s Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America", shows several accounts of Beckham’s selfishness with the team. Wahl exposes the true character of David Beckham like never before. He reveals a careless side of the athlete that will perplex and disappoint many fans. The book is a truly captivating read for sports fans or anyone interested in understanding the mind of a multi-millionaire athlete. _Kris Liaugminas \\ UM

3 \\ POGO Musician: What do Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, and Alice in Wonderland have in common? Each one has had its dialogue and sound bites transformed into a hypnotic wave of musical mastery by Pogo. Staying underground in the down under, Pogo has recently exploded onto the scene through his multiple quick cut videos on youtube of the classic movies he has chosen to rearrange. An accreditation to the view that music is everywhere and in everything, Pogo layers pieces of words as notes while he stitches them together with his down-tempo Prefuse 73-esque beats. Unsigned and taciturn to his local media, Pogo as a person remains an enigma to the masses. Regardless, through his public art, one can easily see that this genius is on a higher pedestal than most of the electronic artists out there. Check out, “Expialidocious” (Marry Poppins), “Alohomora” (Harry Potter), "Alice" (Alice in Wonderland). _Luke Alijewicz \\ UCF

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4 \\ Kicking It

New Documentary : “Kicking It” is about the Homeless World Cup—an international street soccer competition in Cape Town, South Africa, featuring 500 homeless men from 48 different nations in the summer of 2006. Narrated by Colin Farrell, this uplifting documentary introduces us to countless incredible homeless persons from around the world, all proving that something as simple as a ball can influence people’s lives in incredible ways. There is Alex, a Kenyan living in the country's foulest slums, who humbly earns his pittance by cleaning out the community toilets there, but succeeds in using soccer as a

6 \\ Caspa Musician : Crossing the pond from London, sending waves of bass is Dubstep. If you haven’t heard this genre yet, its amorphous bass wobbles are sure to huff and puff and blow the house music scene down. At it’s forefront, talented Dj and producer: Caspa. His new album “Everybody’s talking, Nobody’s listening” is a dynamic mix of musical influences ranging from hip-hop to jungle and reggae. My favorite track of this album is “Lon-Don city” featuring vocals by South Florida native and reggae legend, Uncle Sam. Highlights include

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means to overcome the harsh realities of his life and, hopefully, one day rise above the Kenyan slums. And then there is the incredible Jesus, a former bank robber and recovering alcoholic who, at the age of 62 and still living in the homeless shelters of Madrid, plays soccer religiously to help him stay away from alcohol. While they may not have the comforts of everyday life, these individuals whose lives some might cast off as “meaningless” or “ruined” nobly demonstrate that on the soccer field, they can always forget their troubles and just go back to being soccer players. _Kris Liaugminas \\ UM

5 \\ Mika Miko Band : You either love ‘em or your want to rip their Midwest pageboy wigs right off their foundationless foreheads. Sharing the same roots as Los Angeles based No Age, The Mae Shi, and HEALTH, this all girl, noise/punk band’s new album, “We Be Xuxa”, sounds like a mash-up of every riot girl’s D.I.Y. underpants and is a total melodic amnesia. With the deliriously catchy deep vocals of Victor Fandgore

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(Jennifer Clavin) and the backup chants of Jet Blanca (Jenna Thornhill), it’s no surprise that the minute songs like “I Got A Lot Of (New, New, New)”and “Sex Jazz” come on, my legs start hosting mini-slam dance-offs. More than anything, this album is sure to make you want to see them live; which undoubtedly is a chance to up your “cred” and to impress all six of your punk boyfriends. _Anna Miorelli \\ FIU

heavy-hitting collaborations with Dynamite MC, Rod Azlan, and Beezy. The album’s title stems from the intro track with spoken word by prominent London reggae radio figure, David Rodigan; "Everybody's talking, Nobody's listening. . .Who's hot and who's not, we don't care. Dark rooms with heavy bass lines full of fans who are only there for the music, and selectors who not only play it but create it, are you listening? Because Caspa's playing." _Mike Nyman \\ UM

8 \\ Imogen Heap

Imogen Heap’s new album is impressive yet oddly disappointing. Upon first listen, the album encapsulated me with layers of beautiful harmonies quickly oscillating between octaves in the foreground of slow paced and quick electro-beats. Upon further examination, I found that nothing really twisted my heart chord and few songs stuck out. In actuality, when I started this review posthaste, the only shallow thing I could muster up was, “She has a really beautiful voice.” I needed to find the root of my problem so I listened to her early work to find out what made it such a success. After a much-needed listening to “I Megaphone” and “Speak for Yourself”, I realized that “Ellipse” lacked simplicity. Songs such as, “The Moment I Said it” and “Closing In,” allowed her voice and lyrics to transport her audience to a landscape of passion and fear. With “Ellipse,” even though her voice is still her main instrument, she clutters the sounds to hamper engagement within the tracks. _Vanessa Solis \\ UF comment, read more, and join our staff at: backslashmagazine.com

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: music festivals

Indio, CA

Live Oak, FL

The Night Halfway through the Ghostland Observatory show, I turned my head slightly to the left and caught a familiar sight, Coachella at night. Let’s try an analogy because it’s impossible to describe. It’s like going to a carnival as a kid only this time everything is coated in neon lights and you can control half of the exhibits. This still does it no justice. Coachella as an experience is divided up into four parts; the morning campsite, the hot relaxing day, the cooling sunset, and another dimension that is the night. A complete transformation takes place within you and within the art that surrounds and adorns the festival grounds. Almost as if you spent the day enjoying nature and checking out the hibernating animals lying across the grass only to be more amazed when those beasts wake up and show their true colors. On my way to Paul McCartney, I see the Serpent Mother, a 168-foot spiraling skeleton of a python that has 41 points of fire spewing out of it. Such a majestic sight from far away, I am confused as to why people are so close to it. To my amazement, I realize that the people near the structure are actually controlling each point of fire on the beast. I start to slowly walk up to it but lightning catches the corner of my

DAY 1 I've been to my share of festivals, and this was the first time the blazing sun didn’t wake me up at daybreak. Attendees camped wherever they could find a space, and my buddies and I found a nice spot in the shade with comfy grass. We arrived Thursday night, played some beer pong, smoked a couple joints, and prepared for Friday morning; the start of Wanee. After sleeping until 10:45 a.m., I woke up refreshed and ready to get down and dirty, only to hear rumbling thunder and subsequent rainfall. A monsoon embarked upon the festival and surrounding campsites. Not a good omen, but we got through it. The extra tarp we brought came in clutch, and our tent remained dry. After the rain subsided, we hung around the site, chugging as many beers as humanly possible, fired up the grill for a mid-day meal (scrambled eggs and hot dogs, for whoever is curious), and by mid-afternoon, we were ready to rock and roll. We strolled over to the Mushroom Stage to catch Umphrey's McGee, and looking back, their performance was one of the highlights of Wanee. For festival veterans, it seems like one of America's top-touring bands never becomes stale. Umphreys has a seat on the Council of Elders of the Improv-Rock circuit, and they didn’t disappoint. Their set was heavy and

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Mariaville, NY

Day 3 "Have you noticed that in this drama, the forces of the dark side are operative for 1/3 of the time, the forces of the light side for 2/3 of the time? This is a very ingenious arrangement." BLVD was nice to wake up to, fusing hip-hop influences with electronic and instrumental sounds. If Linkin Park had talent, or stopped being so damn angry at everybody and everything, they would be BLVD. The good vibes continued into the early afternoon as Telepath serenaded the crowd with their down tempo Middle-Eastern tunes. The Disco Biscuits took the stage for a rare daytime set that once again proves their versatility and reckless abandonment in taking musical risks. They introduced themselves as Tractorbeam vs. the Perfume, fusing together two sideprojects of the band. The Biscuits recreated their own tunes and played them in different styles; Tractorbeam being more electronic, and The Perfume, which added bluegrass and rock theory into the songs. The set included a Beastie Boys' style rap, symphonic rock opera-like tangents, electronic breakdowns, and an appearance by original Disco Biscuits drummer Sam Altman. Sound Tribe Sector 9 played a flawless set as the sun set over the mountains and the festival, and ...continued on page 72

Check out backslashmagazine.com for complete day-by-day coverage of these three music festivals. 32

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words-Kris Liaugminas

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Historical Timeline 1959 Scientists isolate the earliest known case of AIDS. 1984 Doctor Robert Gallo of the United States determines HIV to be the cause of AIDS. Project SIDA, the first AIDS project in Africa, is launched. 1986 Reagan acknowledges AIDS in a message to Congress. Uganda begins promoting the change in one’s sexual behavior. 1987 AZT, the first antiretroviral drug, is licensed to treat people with HIV. It is unavailable in Africa. 1996 Combination therapy drugs are now available in West but are too expensive for those living in Africa. 1998 HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa account for 70% of infections worldwide. 2002 The South African government approves AZT. 2006 28% of people in sub-Saharan Africa who need treatment for HIV are receiving it.

The place where civilization started could be the place where Civilization ends

e can now surf the internet at blazing fast speeds on an iPhone and track the up-to-the-minute status of Jennifer Aniston or Brett Favre if we so chose, thanks to the glories of modern technology. But we still have not found a cure for the most notorious disease of the past thirty years -- AIDS. Sadly, the most effective technology to reduce the transmission of HIV remains the trusty latex condom. They’re dying on us, still. Slowly but surely, today’s AIDS patients continue to suffer the same tragic fate as their predecessors over the last three decades, and like all those who have fallen prey to this destructive epidemic throughout the years, the prospect of a cure in the near future remains just as grim as the harsh reality of living with the disease on a daily basis. The scary truth is that there is still no cure for AIDS—a truth which haunted us back in the beginning and continues to lurk all too prominently amidst the whirlwind of horrors the disease creates. Living with AIDS today is no easier than it was some thirty years ago, when it first ran rampant across the United States and the rest of the world, mainly because all that we can and have been able to do throughout the years has been to merely slow the progression of the disease—modern medicine can only delay the inevitable for these walking ghosts. Primary treatment remains the same as it has been for years—namely, a combination of antiretroviral treatment (pharmaceutical drug regimens which slow the course of the disease) and the classic mantra of “prevention,” (with the health industry falling back on the temporary bandage of promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programs). Condoms have been proven to reduce the chance of HIV infection by 80%. Research shows that couples with one HIV-positive partner regularly using condoms result in only a 1% chance of infection for the other partner. Without any treatment, the average time of progression from HIV to AIDS in an alarming 9.2 months, despite considerable fluctuation across the board, depending on age, prior immune function, genetic makeup and perhaps most notably, access to

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healthcare. This latter condition accounts for the increased incidents of new infections and speedy deaths in the developing countries of the world, and poses the most serious threat to combating the disease, as the majority of the world’s infected individuals lack access to treatment. Another threatening element in our war on AIDS is that while modern technology fails to catch up with the spread of infections, the HIV virus continues to find new ways to adapt to medicine and evolve resistance to treatment, making it harder for doctors to provide adequate care. Given the complex genetic variability of the different strains of HIV and the inconsistencies among rates of infectivity today, there are simply too many varying factors among AIDS victims. Whatever symptom the patient is experiencing at any given time could relate to any number of major health problems associated with the disease, often leaving the primary care physician unable to directly pinpoint the exact cause or source of the symptoms. More people have died from AIDS than in the Vietnam and Korean wars put together— it has claimed over 25 million lives since its worldwide official recognition in 1981, with a staggering 2.1 million deaths recorded in 2007 alone. Over three quarters of those 2.1 million deaths occurred in the populous region of sub-Saharan Africa—home to over 10% of the world’s population and nearly two-thirds of all people living with HIV. If the world’s powers collectively fail to respond with significant action in sub-Saharan Africa soon, the entire continent risks being completely annihilated by the turn of the century. Access to healthcare throughout the region is scarce at best, not to mention quite costly, creating an alarming economic impact on the future of the continent. The increase in HIV infections and AIDS

related deaths throughout Africa is eliminating human capital and killing off a population of skilled workers, lowering overall productivity while decreasing the size of the taxable population and placing a greater strain on the government to increase finances. Eventually the countries of Africa will be unable to support themselves and all that will be left is a vastly dwindled population of unhealthy young people with short life-spans. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in conjunction with the World Health Organization, has documented a legitimate correlation between decreasing life expectancy in many African countries with prevalence rates of 10% or more. To make matters worse, the funding gap is only growing. Though there has been a considerable increase in HIV funding throughout the past decade, evidence shows

The HIV virus continues to find new ways to adapt to medicine and evolve its resistance to treatment us that the gap between available resources and the amounts needed to achieve universal access to HIV treatment will only widen over the next several years if our current funding trends continue. Testing remains a major factor in the promulgation of the disease, namely through-

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out sub-Saharan Africa—less than 1% of Africa’s entire population has been tested. This stunning truth prompted our current President to visit the country of Kenya in 2006. The former senator from Illinois was publicly tested there with his wife to promote widespread testing among Africans. He half-truthfully remarked that “If you know your status, you can prevent illness,” ignoring the issue of treatment and the corresponding reality that discovering a positive test for HIV is only half the battle in combating the disease. While President Obama has promised major increases in AIDS funding throughout his campaign, several critics have noted his less than aggressive response to fully follow through with this promise. Prevention has been the primary aspect of his platform on AIDS, with the advancement of medical technology taking a back seat. This month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Africa for ten days, with AIDS being only one of the many issues addressed during the visit, including the support of sustainable democratic governments and the resolution of continental conflict. While in Johannesburg, South Africa, she reaffirmed and echoed the administration’s emphasis on prevention over treatment, remarking that her desire is to “invest some dollars in prevention.” In the absence of a cure, our only chance at winning the war with AIDS is to address the inherent disparities and discrepancies in obtaining universal access to treatment between the developed and the developing nations. The longer the developing world sits in the shadows of our efforts to find a cure, due to their lack of resources and capital, the longer the rates of infection will continue to increase and kill millions each year. comment, read more, and join our staff at: backslashmagazine.com

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: new products for students

1 HYmini Wind Charger

This device harnesses wind power to charge all of your SV devices. It stores energy collected from a wall plug, DC input, wind, or sun. You can attach it to your car window or simply put it on your wrist to power your ipod while you are running. $46 http://www.buygreen.com/hyminibasicpackage.aspx

2 Solio H1000 Universal Hybrid Charger

One of the most advanced solar powered chargers for small electronics out there. This device contains mini-USB, USB, and Nokia tips for all your needs. One hour of sunshine = 40 minutes of music. $80 http://www.buygreen.com/solioh1000universalhybridcharger.asp

3 Smart Strip

Featuring advanced circuitry, this power strip senses when there is too much idle power, the power generated while your electronics are off, and turns it off to save energy. This device will pay for itself in 47 days or less. $42 http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Bits-Ltd./Item/LCG4/

4 Voltaic Solar Charging Backpack Recharge virtually any device on the go with this solar powered backpack. Three panels generate 4 watts of energy that can be stored in its built-in lithium ion battery. Plug-in charging of the device is available but the one drawback is it is not capable of charging your laptop. $220 http://www.voltaicsystems.com/bag_backpack.shtml

5 Weza Portable Power Probably the most useful product on the list. This battery can store power from AC or DC power outlets. The one feature that sets it apart from the rest is you can foot pump power into the device during emergencies. Ex: if your car battery dies and you forgot to charge this device you can jump-start your car by foot-pumping power into it. $300 http://www.buygreen.com/wezaportablepower.aspx

6 Innovision Series Soar Lighting Tired of leaving the light on for your drunk roommate that comes home at 4 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock every morning? Whether this may be the case or not, save money and create a calming mood in your backyard with these candlelight solar garden lights. 3 hours of sunlight will illuminate your backyard for 12 hours. $55 for 4 http://www.solargardenlightspro.com/product/05-1247W-4

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Words _Lester Hussie \\ UM Graphite art by hand _Rodney Jackson \\ MICA

He goes by many names: Weezy F. Baby, Young Wayne, Mr. Carter and the list goes on and on. Chances are in the last 12 months you’ve heard the smooth, sweet sounds of 2008's ‘Lollipop’ and the raw, freestyle masterpiece that is “A Milli”. Surely, Lil’ Wayne is a name you’ve heard before. Achieving success around the world including Grammy, BET and MTV awards, a successful stint on ESPN and ESPN.com along with numerous guest appearances on television, music and upcoming films, Lil’ Wayne is well on his way to achieving hip-hop star success -- on par with that of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. And with blogs, message boards, the hip-hop world and the media buzz, the next stage of Weezy’s career is sure to be filled with interesting twists and turns as Wayne opts to trade in his title as hip-hop star for the highly coveted title of rock-star with his new album: “Rebirth”. In a world of fast cars, colossal-slapyour-mom-in-the face amounts of money, hit singles, drugs and more money, it’s safe to say that Lil’ Wayne is undoubtedly living the American dream. While rummaging through my iPod and mix-tapes, I even realized that he’d written a song about it; appropriately titled ‘American Dream’, featuring none other than heavyweight champion Mike Tyson -seems as though Tyson would like all of us to lend him our ears. But Wayne didn’t always have a multi-

million dollar net worth, or a multi-million dollar mouth; born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. on September 27th, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Wayne grew up in the Magnolia Projects. As a child, Wayne often expressed his musical and theatrical abilities to his peers and parents, writing his very first lyrics at the age of eight. By eleven, he crossed paths with Bryan “Birdman” Williams, CEO of Cash Money Records and mastermind behind many of Wayne’s and Cash Money Millionaire’s hits. To really grab Williams’ attention, Wayne left messages of freestyles on Williams' answering machine. Ultimately Wayne left a lasting impression as Williams would soon go on to mentor Wayne, forming the famous father/son relationship recognized in the appropriately titled single “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy”, from the 2006 collaborative effort: Like Father, Like Son. Wayne also took an interest in acting and was cast as the Tin Man in his middle school drama club’s production of The Wiz at Eleanor McMain Magnet Secondary School in New Orleans. And like the Tin Man, Wayne would need a lot of heart on his journey. At the age of 14, Wayne dropped out of school and replaced the yellow brick road with a road to stardom. The year is 1997 and hip-hop is showing an undisputed prominence in pop culture with the rise of Hip-Hop families like No Limit Soldiers, Bad Boy and The Family, and Ruff Ryders cruising on four-runners into 1998. But only one group could impress you when

they “come around your city” with their “bling-bling”: The Hot Boys. Adopted at the age of 15 by fellow group members Juvenile, B.G. and Turk the Hot Boys released their debut album “Get It How U Live!” on October 28th 1997. Produced by Mannie Fresh it included the single “We On Fire” and peaked at #37 on the charts. Packed with content fit for four southern-style gangsters, critics initially had to warm up to it, while fans thought the Hot Boys were… well… hot. The album cover particularly features an adolescent, afrorocking Wayne in a bandana and white tee, hard to imagine Wayne now without the signature dreadlocks. Their follow up album “Guerilla Warfare” certainly secured their very hungry fan base as it peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 List in 1999. It Included the singles “I Need A Hot Girl”, “Tuesday and Thursday” and Wayne’s featured single “Clear Tha Set”. “Clear Tha Set” was not released as a radio single, but became a clear cut choice for the streets. Wayne, The Hot Boys and producer Mannie Fresh helped to develop an innovative sound, blending the newly present trend of southernstyle hip-hop with that of gangster rap, and somehow found mainstream (and platinum) success! It’s true what they say, when you’re hot, you’re hot. Guerilla Warfare earned critical acclaim and Wayne’s next project was the freshmen solo release of “Tha Block Is Hot”. Released in November of 1999 and spawning the title

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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ track as a hit single, ‘Block Is Hot’ found double platinum success and its title track is also the top 50 single on VH1s 100 greatest hip-hop songs of all time. However, critics had mixed reviews of Wayne’s initial solo effort; some calling him “green” and “steeped in convention”. While others noticed the unavoidable bounce, thanks once again to Mannie Fresh along with the numerous Cash Money guest appearances (prevalent in over half of the album), optimistic critics noted that it “follows the successful Cash Money formula to a T”. The content of “Block” once again skirted around the life of a Hot Boy: ‘iced out bling’, run-ins with the police and the guerilla warfare that made life in the Big Easy get very complicated. At the age of 17, Wayne released his follow-up solo effort entitled “Lights Out”. The album found Wayne experimenting lightly with R&B sounds on tracks like “Break Me Off”, and exploring his sentimental side on the track “Everything”, a tribute to his step-father. But old school Wayne fans might remember the more popular anthem (and word of advice to drug dealers) entitled “Get Off The Corner”. “…Corner” was yet another classic Hot Boys/Cash Money track Wayne flawlessly carried all on his own. Reviews from loyal fans for “Lights Out” suggest that Wayne was slowly but surely maturing, and he noticeably carried more weight on this album with less help on the 19 track LP from his Cash Money family and more reliability on his own creativity. Despite the positive feedback from Hot Boy/Wayne fans, the album could not avoid getting hit by the grisly sophomore slump. And although certified gold in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) it did not achieve the success of “Tha Block Is Hot”. This didn’t stop Wayne and the Cash Money Family from chasing the paper -- this hot boy was just warming up. July 2002 marked the release of Wayne’s 3rd solo album – “500 Degreez”. The album title is an unmistakable attack towards fellow Hot Boy and colleague Juvenile and his release of 400 Degreez (released in June of 1998). Juvenile was, at this point, no longer

affiliated with Cash Money after a very public fallout with the label. He went on to start his own label, UTP Records. Juvenile’s decision seemed to be a growing inclination for the Cash Money family at the time, as financial discrepancies and mismanagement seemed to be a recurring problem with Juvenile, B.G. and eventually producer Mannie Fresh. Not surprisingly, the very public and very blatant ‘diss’ to Juvenile caused a rift in their relationship. And it seemed as though this would be the end of the Hot Boys for good. There seemed to be more drama surrounding the release of “500 Degreez” than there were promotions as Wayne’s 3rd album would be his worst-selling thus far. But even with the lack of marketing the album still managed to peak at #6 on Billboard 100 and #1 on he R&B/Hip Hop Album charts. Domestically it achieved certified gold and certified platinum worldwide. As far as content, Wayne followed a formula that seemed to be going a little stale with critics, but not necessarily fans. An array of tracks about money, cars and bragging rights, including “Way of Life”, which samples Junior Mafia’s “Get Money” and (for your information) Dennis Edwards “Don’t Look Any Further”. Fans enjoyed the record but with the recent fallout of Cash Money’s leading man, Juvenile, and the lack of creativity in lyrical content, critics suggested in many reviews that Wayne and Cash Money (or what was left of it) wouldn’t be going any further. Would this budding emcees American dream suddenly turn into a nightmare? A true Hot Boy would never let that happen. Wayne became ever more eager and resilient with the controversy surrounding his cohorts and their money. Wayne later took the position as president and CEO of Cash Money Records, which began to grow its roster drastically, adding both well-known and unknown artists in the coming years. But the controversy didn’t only exist in the studio. Part of becoming an American dream is the fame, while the other half lies in your personal history. And part of gaining street credibility as an emcee, is not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk. In the

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music world, this is what separates the cover stories from the other stories. The release of “Tha Carter” (2004) would mark a moment as a prologue to Wayne’s opus magnum “Tha Carter II”. But the media began to take notice of Wayne’s personal life. Wayne married high school sweetheart Antonia “Toya” Johnson before the release of his album. After years of their on-again, off-again relationship; a child together at the age of sixteen; and rumored infidelity with R&B singer Nivea and video-

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vixen superhead hip-hop diamond princess Trina, among others, the marriage quickly dissolved. Johnson filed for divorce January 1st, 2006 prior to her move to Atlanta, GA. And has since became ½ of the dynamic duo “Tiny and Toya”, BETs docu-series about the wives/ex-wives of rappers Wayne and T.I. As of now, it is confirmed that Wayne is having babies by both model and television actress Lauren London and recording artist Nivea. There was also one incident that gained high profile press, unfortunately not

involving a woman. A picture of Wayne and Birdman kissing on the lips while on the set of a music video shoot surfaced in 2006. The incident brought into question the extent of their relationship. Birdman quickly put the rumors to rest explaining that his and Wayne’s relationship was like that of a father and son. "That's my son. If he was right here, I'd kiss him again. I kiss my daughter, my other son...If you did (have children), you'd understand what I meant with it. I just think people took that too far man. That's my son. I'll do it again tomorrow, I'll kill for him. Ride and die for him." Thankfully, the issue quickly lost steam. Wayne’s infidelity and sexual experiences has been a topic of discussion for many media outlets. It has been reported that Wayne has had sex with up to five women at a time. How does he convince them to do it? Apparently he will find two groupies with interest, and convince them to find three other girls who are interested. And there you have it; a definite part of my American dream. Wayne has also admitted to gossip queen Wendy Williams that he has received oral sex while recording a song. Wayne said the experience was distracting and that he purposely made mistakes in order to do retakes to keep it going. Maybe Wayne really does wish he could “f*ck every girl in the world”. It seems as though you can take the Hot Boy out the streets, but you can’t take the streets out of the Hot Boy. The media also began taking serious notice of Wayne’s history of violence, which reportedly began at the age of 12, when Wayne accidentally shot himself in the chest. The incident occurred one day after Wayne got home early from school. He’d found the firearm in his parents apartment and began to play with it, consequently shooting himself in the chest. Although Wayne missed every vital organ he still faced death. He called an ambulance while bleeding profusely, then stumbled outside and collapsed at his doorstep. Fortunately, an off-duty police officer was riding by and found him. Wayne was rushed to a nearby emergency room for medical care. Then in 2001, a bullet once again

struck Wayne when his tour bus window was hit. Wayne blames a group of disgruntled groupies for the incident and took the bullet to his torso. Once again, Wayne had managed to avoid any fatal or serious injury. There has also been speculation that Wayne is a Blood gang member. Many photoops and photo shoots show both Wayne and Birdman sporting red bandanas, similar hand gestures and red clothing. It has been reported that this statement has caused some of the friction and violence involving Wayne while on tour. A number of personalities, both high profile and local (of Wayne’s New Orleans hometown) have commented on this rumor; some calling Wayne a “fake blood”. However, Wayne himself has generally avoided commenting on this issue -- which is probably for the best. The near-death experiences and rumors didn’t put Wayne down, nor did they wake him from his American dream. The success of “Tha Carter” and follow-up “Tha Carter II” proved that Wayne had grown as an emcee; and that life in the fast lane was faster than a speeding bullet. “Tha Carter” featured the singles “Bring it Back”, “Earthquake” and the infamous “Go DJ” and has sold 1.2 million copies. Many fans and critics took note of Wayne’s growth and maturity lyrically and said that this is what made the album stand out. Many message boards and comments from the online community came from new fans of Lil’ Wayne. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. “Tha Carter” would be a defining career point for Wayne as it gave birth to the infamous ‘Carter Saga’ with his two successful followup albums. In 2005 Wayne released “Tha Carter II”, the fifth official studio album. Upon the release of Carter II into the market, Wayne had become the only Hot Boy to remain in the public areana. Carter II, featuring "Hustler Musik", "Shooter" (with Robin Thicke) and the anthem "Fireman" became known as Wayne’s greatest work yet; reaching the #1 position on the Rap and Hip-Hop Album charts and #2 on the Billboard 200, respectively.

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Gaining momentum and album sales, Wayne was certainly at his finest. And sure enough, along with the coverage of his soon-to-be classic came the media attention of the typical hot boy lifestyle that Wayne couldn’t seem to let go of, or make apologies for, unless it was completely necessary. In summer 2007, Wayne was arrested in New York City for smoking marijuana near his tour bus. After being taken into custody police discovered a pistol in Wayne’s possession. In fall 2007, Georgia officials accused Wayne of possessing a controlled substance. However, these charges were later dropped and considered to be a misunderstanding. Wayne later made it known that he’d suffered from an addiction to codeine also known as ‘purple drink’ or ‘syrup’ and enjoyed recreational drugs on a regular basis. Unlike many celebrities, Wayne didn’t need media attention to sell records, but it was an added bonus. Fans didn’t seem to mind Wayne’s antics at all, but rather thrived on them. Another major obstacle Wayne would face in 2008 was the perpetual leaking of tracks from the highly anticipated trilogy: “Tha Carter III”.

Wayne was arrested in New York City for smoking marijuana near his tour bus. After being taken into custody police discovered a pistol in Wayne’s possession. In fall 2007, Georgia officials accused Wayne of holding a controlled substance. However, these charges were later dropped and considered to be a misunderstanding.

In 2008, Wayne’s tour bus was raided by Yuma, Arizona police on a mini-tour. Wayne was indicted for possession of narcotics, paraphernalia and weapons. Unfortunately, the Fireman’s firearms cost him endorsement deals and sponsorships for his upcoming official tour. In late 2008 at a concert in the Bahamas, Wayne owed promoters and organizers for a cancelled concert after allegedly getting too drunk and sleeping through a concert. Then in early summer 2008, “Tha Carter III” officially hit stores. Despite unofficially hitting YouTube, and countless other websites earlier last year, the third chapter in Wayne’s tour de force sold 1 million copies in its first week alone. Not since 50 Cents’ “The Massacre” has a hip-hop album had such high profile success. With the #1 smash ‘Lollipop’ and follow ups ‘A Milli’, ‘Got

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Money’ (featuring T-Pain) and ‘Mrs. Officer’, Wayne has undoubtedly become a bona fide hip-hop star. “Tha Carter III” obtained 2 Grammys, a BET award and a highly coveted moonman from the MTV VMAs. There was also praise for the albums production quality, themes and lyrical content. “Tha Carter III” was one of the two major headlining acts for the ‘I Am Music Tour’ featuring Keri Hilson, Keyshia Cole, Gym Class Heroes and Young Money Entertainment among others and co-starred T-Pain and his ‘Three Ringz’ album. Beginning in Miami, Fl with an extended leg through Chicago, it could easily be added to the list as one of Wayne’s success stories. Wayne has also recently graced the studios of recorded singles from T.I (Swagga Like Us), Keri Hilson (Turnin’ Me On), Birdman (Always Strapped) and Busta Rhymes

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(Respect My Conglomerate). All of which have left a lasting impression on fans. Even in his guest appearances, Wayne is undeniable. Wayne is ushering in a new team of protégés including Lil’ Twist, Lil’ Chuckee, Mac Maine, Jae Millz and most notably Nicki Minaj and new hip-hop sensation Drake. But the single that would lead Wayne down his next path would be the rock influenced “Let It Rock”. The premiere single from Kevin Rudolf was a top 10 smash this year. For Wayne fans, it is an omen of things to come, as Wayne is preparing for his rock and roll debut album: “Rebirth”. But with three noted push back dates and a lukewarm response to the first single “Prom Queen”, can Wayne transition from hip-hop heavyweight to rock god? On July 21st 2009, VH1 news announced that “Rebirth” had been pushed back again due to Wayne’s “extremely hectic” schedule. The source also cited Wayne’s preparation for the America’s Most Wanted

Music Festival. Fans along with members of Wayne’s camp are hoping for a September release. So what, you might ask, is contributing to his hectic schedule? A rumored album with well known artist Juelz Santana entitled “I Can’t Feel My Face” that has been in production for quite some time. Also two R&B projects, the first with R&B singer Lloyd and the second collection of romantic songs entitled “Luv Sawngz” which would rely heavily on vocoders and studio effects. The most popular of these potential smash albums is “T-Wayne”. One part T-Pain and one part Lil’ Wayne, the prospective project made national news earlier this year, but has yet to have further information. Also on the list of upcoming projects is a new volume to ‘Tha Carter Series’: “Tha Carter IV”. Wayne announced that the album would be released in 2009 prior to the holiday season. Another unchecked square on the to-do list is the reunion album featuring all of the original Hot Boys; after years of public fueding they seem to have made amends and have even been spotted reuniting on stage at Lil’ Waynes’ recent tour. The new Hot Boys album is sure to bring old school and new school fans

of Wayne, Juve, B.G., Turk (and hopefully Mannie Fresh because let’s face it, things just wouldn’t be the same without him). Also in the works, Wayne is ushering in a new team of protégés including Lil’ Twist, Lil’ Chuckee, Mac Maine, Jae Millz and most notably Nicki Minaj and new hip-hop sensation Drake for the Young Money Album. At the age of 26 Wayne has accomplished more than most people have before they’re 46, and he does not seem to show signs of slowing down in the least bit. Unfortunately for all of us, “Rebirth” is being held tightly under wraps and I was unable to uncover any tracks besides that of “Prom Queen”. But I get the feeling that Wayne will not disappoint old fans, and will use the opportunity to gain a lot of new ones. Becoming an American dream isn’t something one accomplishes in their sleep. Wayne realized at a very young age that dreams don't come free. In order to make these dreams come true, one must endure the rumors, the violence, the media and the critics. Through hardship, you mustn’t be phased to become triumphant. In Wayne's case, hard work paid off. With so much ahead of him, let’s hope the Fireman doesn't burn out.

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florida footba Ricky Williams, Running Back, Miami Dolphins Ricky, you're probably still dreaming about the legalization of marijuana instead of the next time you’ll sprint into the end zone. Then again, if I owed $8 million dollars to someone, I would probably get into yoga and pot as well.

Florida Gators Eric Hornick \\ University of Florida

9 best - Looking Pigskin Underachievers

Chad Ocho Cinco, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals You don’t practice, you yell, you scream and you’re not Hispanic. Grow up. Oh and are you aware that Ocho Cinco doesn’t equal 85? That would be Ochenta y Cinco…good luck fitting that one on the back of your jersey. Reggie Bush, Running back, New Orleans Saints The best moves you’ve made have been off the field wooing Kim Kardashian until the “mutual split.” Now that you’re an eligible bachelor, maybe you can find some time in that hectic schedule to focus on reaching the end zone and put the Keeping Up with the Kardashians tenure to bed for good. Donte` Stallworth, Wide Receiver, Free Agent In March of 2008, you signed a seven-year $35 million deal with the Cleveland Browns so I ask you, how much does a cab to South Beach cost? I’m in the mood for a nice breakfast on Ocean Drive.

Tony Romo, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys There are questions as to if your capable of winning it all and yet you dump your Grammy-winning superstar girlfriend with tremendous curves…smart move. And you do it right before her birthday? Way to drop the ball, pun intended. Brady Quinn, Quarterback, Cleveland Browns The only quarterback competition this Notre Dame pretty boy is winning right now is for the worst protein supplement commercial of the year. Matt Leinart, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals Gosh it must feel great going from one of the best college football quarterbacks to perennial backup to a 38-year old former bag boy at a grocery store.

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South Florida Bulls Phil Neary \\ University of South Florida

Vince Young, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans Hey Vince, whether or not you're coocoo for coco puffs, a word to the wise: don’t disappear after a game with a gun and for sure don’t tell your mother where you are.

Coach \\ Urban Meyer (Fifth Season) Offensive Makeup \\ Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow is a dual threat who can charge a gap up the middle, or drop back to pass, leaving the defense trying to defend both simultaneously. Oh yeah, he also has two national championships to show for it and a competitive thirst for a third one. With the departures of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, the Gators will be looking for wide outs to step up and fill the gaps left open. Expect tight end Aaron Hernandez and receivers Deonte Thompson and David Nelson all to overachieve. Defensive Makeup \\ The Gator defense is returning all starters from last year including their dominant force in the middle, senior Brandon Spikes. The chemistry within this unit is only going to increase, and with continued pressure on the opponents' offense, expect more interceptions to come Ahmad Black's and Major Wright’s way. Rising Star \\ Keep an eye out for incoming freshman Andre Debose. He plays wide out or slot receiver and was a complete athlete in high school (Sanford Seminole, FL). Debose is of good size (6'0", 170 lbs) and has the ability to turn himself into a playmaker early. Schedule Breaker \\ The schedule the Gators find themselves facing this year is not as difficult as last season, but a few SEC rivalry games could cause them trouble. The highly anticipated Kiffin/Meyer Tennessee match up in the Swamp on Sept 19 will all be exciting to watch, as will be the trip to take on the Tigers in Baton Rouge on Oct. 10 (where the Gators’ where stunned 28-24 two seasons ago). Consensus \\ The Gators come into the 2009 season with a national championship to defend and with a team that without question has the talent to do so. Urban Meyer will be looking to bring home his third BCS national championship trophy in just five years, but they must execute every game like it is for a championship because of the BCS complexity and reigning Heisman trophy winner Sam Bradford and his Sooners looming.

Coach \\ Jim Leavitt (13th season) Offensive Makeup \\ Senior quarterback Matt Grothe returns for one last opportunity to lead USF to a Big East championship. Grothe will be surrounded by plenty of playmakers at the skill positions but will work behind an inexperienced line. The Bulls will continue to use a running back-by-committee approach with junior Mike Ford, the most talented of all their backs, likely to share most of the duties with senior Moise Plancher now that Jamar Taylor could be lost for the season with a torn ACL. USF will also have depth at receiver. Four of USF’s top five receivers return, including senior Jessie Hester, who led the team in receptions a year ago. Defensive Makeup \\ There is plenty of speed in this Defense. However, the Bulls only recorded 23 sacks last year, which was sixth in the Big East. USF was also at the bottom of the league in turnover margin and red zone defense. With three defensive line starters back from a year ago led by senior and two-time All American George Selvie, USF will have a prime opportunity to improve. The secondary should also be solid. Senior safety Nate Allen and Senior cornerback Jerome Murphy are returning starters that have been reliable throughout their careers, and up-and-coming projected starters Jerrell Young (safety) and Quentin Washington (cornerback) have loads of talent. Rising Star \\ Keep an eye on sophomore safety Jerrell Young. Young has a unique blend of size (6’2’’ 205) and speed (4.5 forty) to make an impact soon. Schedule Breaker \\ Beating Miami and/or FSU can do wonders for USF in the long run. However, the pivotal part of USF’s schedule is in-conference. Aside from Syracuse, USF could lose every conference game on its schedule. The good news is they could also win every game. Every match-up, starting with the Thursday night showdown against Cincinnati on Oct. 15 will be critical. Consensus \\ Most media sources have USF in the middle of the pack in the Big East. A safe bet would be anywhere from third to sixth. However, anything more or less wouldn’t shock anyone.

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FIU Golden Panthers

Miami Hurricanes

Coach \\ Bobby Bowden (34th season) Offensive Makeup \\ Junior quarterback Christian Ponder has proved to become a much better scrambler than passer as he leads the ‘09 Noles attack. Their ground game, which is coming off its best campaign of the decade, will go on without leading rusher Antone Smith. Taking his place is speedy running back Jermaine Thomas. The gem of the offense is a front wall led by veterans Rodney Hudson and Ryan McMahon. Hopefully left tackle Andrew Datko, right tackle Zebrie Sanders, and right guard David Spurlock, can pick up from their excellent true freshman seasons’ from a year ago. Defensive Makeup \\ Senior linebacker Dekoda Watson and Senior cornerback Patrick Robinson are the recognizable names on a relatively unknown defense. The defense is young and will have to fill holes left by 1st round draft pick defensive tackle Everette Brown and All-ACC safety Myron Rolle. Despite those hits the defense looks promising, especially in the front seven. Rising Star \\ Defensive end and former National JUCO Player of The Year (Butler County CC, P.A.), Markus White will succeed Brown, and despite having to replace an All-American, the Senior made the most of his spot duty last season by finishing with 29 tackles (the most among Seminole rookies and good enough for seventh overall). He also finished sixth in tackles for a loss with 5.5. Schedule Breaker \\ It doesn't get any tougher than the Sept. 7 battle versus Miami. Fortunately, the annual low scoring affair (minus last season’s 41-39 shoot out) will be in front off a bombastic 82,500 fans at Doak. The Oct. 17 home opener will be vital, with four road games in the final six weeks including trips to Chapel Hill, Clemson, and Gainesville. Consensus \\ Overall, recruiting continues to be good for Bobby Bowden, but the lack of discipline in terms of penalties, player dismissals/transfers, and off-the-field antics are counterproductive to a program synonymous with an “unconquered” tradition. Ultimately, FSU is a favorite to win the Atlantic Division, although that doesn’t appear to be a strong statement coming from a national perspective. The Seminoles will likely continue to teeter in and out of the Top 25 in 2009, but who knows; last year the Noles were a fumble away from the ACC Championship game.

Coach \\ Mario Cristobal (Third Season) Offensive Makeup \\ Freshman All-American T.Y. Hilton returns after his phenomenal debut season, as does senior Paul McCall, who set the program record for passing touchdowns with 15. Despite losing running backs Julian Reams and A’Mod Ned, sophomore Darriet Perry and senior Daunte Owens showed glimpses of effectiveness in limited duty. Defensive Makeup \\ The linebacking core is the deepest unit anchored by senior Scott Bryant, who’s led the team in tackles for the past two seasons. The secondary is also strong, especially with junior cornerback Anthony Gaitor and senior strong safety Jeremiah Witherspoon. Experts have written off a defensive line that’s lost some players to graduation but still consists of redshirt freshman Andre Pound, senior Jonas Murrell, senior Armond Willis and junior JUCO transfer Thatcher Starling. This core four could be better than projected. Rising Star \\ Junior wide receiver, Greg Ellingson, had a substantially sophomore year, catching 35 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns with a breakout performance in a 57-50 OT loss to FAU (7 receptions, 138 yards, one touchdown). If Ellingson can become more of a playmaking receiver, with the ability to spread the field, teams will be reluctant to double cover Hilton, making the Golden Panthers even more potent on offense. Schedule Breaker \\ Heading into their Oct. 17 home matchup with perennial conference powerhouse Troy, the Golden Panthers could potentially boast a 4-1 mark if they can catch Rutgers off guard in Week 3. Last year the Golden Panthers had a chance to upset the Trojans on the road but mental mistakes were the downfall. If the errors were an aberration, the Golden Panthers will be making a serious statement in the Sun Belt Conference. Consensus \\ The expectations in Miami have raised exponentially after a five win season that had FIU faithful, hoping for a bowl berth. Mario Cristobal brings back an offense with experience and a defense with a few new additions that could realistically surprise people. For the first time in the program’s four-year FBS existence, a bowl game is certainly not out of reach.

Coach \\ Randy Shannon (Third Season) Offensive Makeup \\ All eyes will be on Sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris, who has displayed great intelligence and poise in the pocket, but he needs to develop the arm strength to find Miami’s talented group of receivers downfield. The most dangerous player in this group is 6’2 205 lb. Sophomore Aldarius Johnson, who has drawn comparisons to former Cane Andre Johnson. Should Harris struggle to find his receivers, he has an explosive stable of running backs waiting to bail him out. Returning starter Greg Cooper will likely share the bulk of the carries with senior Javarris James to form a dangerous 1-2 punch. If Miami’s offensive line is efficient (a big question mark), the Canes should put up more points than last year. Defensive Makeup \\ Depth is certainly not an issue along the defensive line, but experience might be. The pressure will be on whomever gets the starting nod in their Week One game at Tallahassee, as Shannon has plenty of other options to turn to. Much more certain is the starting group of linebackers, which is led by last year’s ACC Defensive Rookie of The Year Sean Spence. Shannon teams up Spence with a pair of physical seniors, Colin McCarthy and Darryl Sharpton, who will be looking to end their college careers on a high-note. Perhaps the weakest link on Miami’s entire team is the secondary. With an unfathomable four TOTAL interceptions last year, and the ultra-hyped safety recruit Ray-Ray Armstrong coming in; all the starting spots are still up for grabs. Rising Star \\ Sophomore Marcus Forston lived up to his billing as the nation’s #1 incoming defensive tackle last year with 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Schedule Breaker \\ Miami has one of the toughest opening stretches of games in the country with Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma on tap. Consensus \\ Canes fans want this team to win big now, but they may have to wait another year. An ACC Championship Game appearance is not out of the question, but a more realistic goal is a trip to the Champs Sports Bowl.

Brendan Mackesy \\ University of Miami

Florida State Seminoles Luca Messina \\ Florida International University

Brendan Mackesy \\ University of Miami 2008

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Ryan Bass \\ University of Central Florida

UCF Knights Coach \\ George O’Leary (Sixth season) Offensive makeup \\ Sophomore quarterback Rob Calabrese is the preseason starter for an offense that can only improve after being ranked dead last in the FBS last season with 2,754 total offensive yards, which led to a 4-8 record in 2008. The lone bright spot for the offense came in the form of sophomore running back Brynn Harvey, who rushed for 546 yards – with 311 of those yards coming in the final three games – on 125 attempts last season. The Knights do welcome back wide receiver Rocky Ross, who begins camp as the No. 1 wide receiver after recovering from a broken collar bone early last season. Defensive makeup \\ Defensive tackle Torrell Troupe anchors one of the best defensive lines in the conference, composed of a mix of talented young players as well as seniors. Derrick Hallman switched from outside linebacker to safety for this upcoming season to help counter the loss of NFL talents and former Knights: Joe Burnett and Jason Venson.

Rising Star \\ Watch out for freshman cornerback Josh Robinson, a 5-foot-10, 181 pound speedster from Sunrise, FL. With the loss of Burnett, in not only the defensive back field, but the return game, look for Robinson to fill in nicely as a defensive wall in the secondary and a vital threat returning kicks. Schedule Breaker \\ The Knights won’t have to wait long to see how their season is going to turn out as the toughest part of their schedule is September, when they hit the road to face Southern Miss, host a bowl team in Buffalo, and travel to Greenville, N.C., to take on the defending Conference USA Champs, ECU. Consensus \\ The offense can only improve from last season, but that won’t necessarily boost the win total. The Knights are too young and have too many question marks on both sides of the ball to compete for a conference title – at least in 2009.

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UM | Booze Factor- 3.5 \\Boob Factor- 3.5 \\ Legitimacy- 5 \\Aggregate- 12

Words-Luca MessinA

\\ FIU Alum

FOR TWO YEARS, I HAVE BEEN IN SEARCH OF THE MOST UNRESTRAINED TAILGATE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA; NOW, FOR YOU, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES, I HAVE CREATED MY TOP FIVE LIST. I HAVE RATED THESE FIVE TAILGATES BASED ON THREE FACTORS: BOOZE, BOOBS, AND ATHLETIC LEGITIMACY. MY LIST FOR EACH CATEGORY, AS WELL AS MY AGGREGATE TOP 5 LIST, ARE AS FOLLOWS:

ratings Booze Factor UF: 5 \\ FSU: 5 \\ UCF: 4 \\ UM: 3.5 \\ USF: 2 \\ FIU: 2 Boob Factor UF: 5 \\ UCF 5 \\ FSU:5 \\ USF: 4 \\ UM: 3.5 \\ FIU:2 Legitimacy UM: 5 \\ UF:5 \\ FSU: 5 \\ UCF: 4 \\ USF: 3.5 \\ FIU: 1 Aggregate UF: 15 \\ FSU: 15 \\ UCF 13 \\ UM: 12 \\ USF:9.5 \\ FIU: 5

"This is the spot for Canes’ fanatics especially if you’re feeling a great meal before kickoff." Alumnus Alfonso Dager, 24, spent most of his college time studying to become a computer engineer. An avid football fanatic, Dager yearned for Saturday afternoons at the Orange Bowl. Initially his gatherings were limited to his roommates and friends in the engineering school, nothing extraordinary. After his quasi-tailgating crew threw a few ridiculous tailgates, a cult following began to develop. “My junior year more people started finding out about us and we started doing it up much bigger,” Dager said. “None of us were in fraternities so most of it was by word of mouth.” On Labor Day 2006 before UM was set to face FSU in both teams’ season opener, Dager and his comrades battled a continual torrential downpour to expand their tailgate not only to 30 people, but by food selection as well. “That game was a perfect example of how things were expanding because before we would just barbecue hamburgers and hotdogs and go from there. For that game we barbecued a whole leg of pork, fried chicken wings and shrimp.” Over a year later, the group would send the Orange Bowl off memorably by taking their tailgate to its peak. The day before the Hurricanes would face the Virginia Cavaliers, Dager went to a farm off of Okeechobee Road and ordered a 95-pound pig. On game day, he proceeded to roast the pig in a transportable oven in the Orange Bowl parking lot at what was his largest tailgate to date, 50 people. Vegetarian? No problem, he’ll barbeque a pizza for you. While the move generated publicity and helped add for a more special experience, Dager insists that the roasting will only take place on special occasions pertaining to UM football. “It’s for the big games because it takes most of the previous day to prepare and eight hours to cook on game day so we’ll save it for those days.” For the Dager, extravagant cooking helps add to a more pleasurable experience. “Quite honestly, we do it because we enjoy the cooking. With our groups of people, we could have cooked that stuff if it was five or five hundred of us,” Dager said. “These tailgates are about having a good time and enjoying being at the game because we’re all big football fans; we love the history and tradition.”

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USF

the roasted pig at UM

The recognized spirit squad, Beef Studs and Babes, was started through the Honors College and through the college of Arts of Sciences. These loyalists that consist mainly of freshmen and sophomores are avid tailgaters that attend each every Bulls’ football home game and the occasional road trip for interstate matchups and bowl games. What makes these hooligans special is that their attire consists of painting their bodies green and donning a Viking helmet and hula skirt. “It’s really helped bring up more of that classic football feel,” says alumnus Stephannie Ruiz,. "With the 90 degree Florida weather it’s definitely not the most comfortable feeling but it’s a lot of fun and totally worth it." For those USF students that would rather not have acrylic or latex body paint on their skin, there's always a large contingent of tailgaters partying across the street from Raymond James Stadium, in a vacant lot of the old Tampa Mall. And while the stadium has recently placed restrictions on tailgating — including a smaller time allotment (by one hour) and no kegs (meaning all booz is now required to be in bottle or can form) — Ruiz mentions that unlike other college football stadiums, drinking at USF is allowed during the game. “It’s one of the perks of having a Super Bowl quality stadium, the party doesn’t have to end when you go in.” She also mentions that prior planning is imperative if you choose to tailgate in the vacant lot. “It’s just a large volume of people. It’s one of those things where you want to get out there early; otherwise your pushed back to the end [of the lot] and it will take what seems like forever to cross the street into the stadium.”

UCF

UCF | Booze Factor- 4 \\ Boob Factor- 5 \\ Legitimacy- 4 \\ Aggregate- 13

Brock Hurley, 28, graduated from UF in 2003 with a degree in finance; and since he loved a good party, he thought: why not try and make some money while your pounding a few down? With a background in importing scooters from China, he devised a way to benefit his business through free advertising by tailgating at one of the largest universities in the state of Florida: UF. Having originally seen a variation when on Spring Break in Panama City, Hurley created the 100 Man Beer Bong last football season where a main central beer tower raised 20 feet, contains a keg that is connected to 100 hoses each with its own personal valve and mouthpiece containing 19.8 ounces of beer. At one exact moment, each person releases their valve and within five seconds the entire keg is drained. “I did a smaller concept the year before just as something fun for friends but when I wanted to tie it into my business, I went bigger and better,” Hurley said. “We had a party for the game against Miami last year and we went through about 20 kegs.” For this unique form of tailgating, Hurley doesn’t charge and only accepts donations. He created a Web site (www.100manbeerbong.com) and occasionally will sell tee shirts all while trying to create awareness of his scooter business. “This year anybody with a tee shirt on will get to do it all day for free,” Hurley said. Shortly after first starting this concept, the UF faithful have become both enamored and intrigued. “Nobody has ever seen a contraption like that before; it’s huge so the first thing people say is ‘what the $%&# is that?’ and when they see people lining up to get a few beers in them relatively quickly, it gets the party started quick.” While Hurley explains the caveat that his crew cannot guarantee that they’ll attend all home games, he has taken his show on the road even traveling to FSU. “Everybody is looking for an excuse to party so I give them the perfect excuse to try the one and only 100 Man Beer Bong.”

USF | Booze Factor- 2 \\ Boob Factor- 4 \\ Legitimacy- 3.5 \\ Aggregate- 9.5

UF | Booze Factor- 5 \\ Boob Factor- 5 \\ Legitimacy- 5 \\ Aggregate- 15

“It’s the place you want to be,” says 23-yearold alumnus Jacob Molz of Memory Mall. When the Golden Knights moved into the brand new, state-of-the-art Bright House Networks Stadium in 2007 after spending their existence at the Citrus Bowl, not only did the days of parking passes disappear, but the quintessential tailgating atmosphere that resulted was epic: Memory Mall. Memory Mall is the walkway that starts from the center of campus to the entrance of the stadium with what Molz claims is about 100 tents (each adding to a ridiculous time). The Marching Knights also make an appearances, strolling up and down the large walkway playing their signature fight song to get everyone amped. “We’re there all day. We have some drinkers that like to get up bright and early,” Molz said. “There’s a lot of integrating and everyone on that day becomes a Knight regardless of if they are or not. Even if I don’t know you and you come up to my tent, I’ll throw you a beer because it’s different on game days.” comment, read more, and join our staff at: backslashmagazine.com

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Seminole loyalists have the epicenter of the ultimate tailgating experience at their convenience: the Indian Village Apartment Complex is the hot spot and its located right across from “The House That Bobby Built” or Doak Campbell Stadium. “It’s like going to a weekly alcoholic family reunion; everybody you love is there drunk and celebrating,” says alumnus and former resident Alex Schneider, 21. “ The atmosphere is unbelievable; an event with all the comforts of a fun house party, combined with the glory of tailgating.” While Schneider helped to organize several events and is known within his inner circle of friends for throwing raucous get-togethers, he mentions how tardiness is not possible, and how the experience can sometimes become a blur. “People will walk over from [other] nearby apartments early, get a parking spot or load up with people and beg for one,” Schneider says. “ It has a specific community effort that necessitates watching ESPN every Sunday in the fall to figure out what happened the day before.” Because the complex consists of townhouses with four separate units grouped together sharing a common second story deck, a plethora of tailgates go on concurrently, but the family atmosphere welcomes party-hopping. “Just bring your red cup, find somewhere to fill up and meet some new people whose names you’ll never remember,” Schneider says.

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FIU

FIU | Booze Factor- 2 \\ Boob Factor- 2 \\ Legitimacy- 1 \\ Aggregate- 5

FSU | Booze Factor- 5 \\ Boob Factor- 5 \\ Legitimacy- 5 \\Aggregate- 15

FSU

The Golden Panthers continue to make strides in matching-up with their intercollegiate counterparts, and the September 20th, 2008 debut of the new FIU Stadium represented a major landmark in their athletic history. While attendance lagged for most of the games last season, 16,000 showed up for the opener against USF; and as FIU senior Travis Aldridge recalls, it was the first time tailgating truly existed at FIU. “Before [that game] there really wasn’t tailgating [at FIU]. There was a specific parking lot that people would drink in (like most tailgating), but it was extremely small and there wasn’t much of a fan base,” Aldridge said. “It was mostly just people hanging out in their doom rooms and walking into a stadium 15 minutes before kickoff.” That opening game was broadcasted nationally and it signified the enormous improvements the Golden Panthers hope to make in the coming years. “I remember just sitting out there for awhile thinking ‘I’m sunburned as hell because I’ve been out here for hours.’ That day was worth being here [at FIU] for two years; being able to see the transition we made was awesome.”

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Epic \\ The Lingerie Football League Pinch me, am I dreaming? Did I die and go to heaven? My eyes must be deceiving me. What I'm witnessing doesn't seem possible; gorgeous women, playing full contact footballdonning helmets and shoulder pads, dressed in their skivvies. These girls are going at it, trying proving their worth as professional athletes, battling for jump balls, fighting for extra yards, playing hard nose, smash-mouth football. This is every man’s fantasy coming true. Can this seriously become a permanent fixture in society for years to come? The Lingerie Football League was started by Mitch Mortaza, who's vision of merging the worlds of sex and sport came to fruition in 2004 with the airing of the first Lingerie Bowl on Pay-Per-View. Mortaza sought to give the already captivated Super Bowl audience an alternative to the mainstream, overproduced, family friendly, stale Super Bowl Halftime show. Mortaza was set on infusing the Lingerie Bowl into American pop culture and establishing it as a household name, adding to the many tra-

ditions of Super Bowl Sunday. "We as a nation are consumed by sex and sports; now we have combined both elements opposite highly viewed sporting events targeting an already-captive audience. The Lingerie Sports Franchise will offer an escape from overly produced conservative lip-synching shows surrounding the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and MLB World Series while providing corporate advertisers an effective means of reaching the highly coveted yet elusive category of Adults 18-49," Mortaza said in 2005. Mortaza struck a chord with the Super Bowl Audience, and quickly established the Lingerie Bowl as a pillar of Super Bowl Sunday festivities. This subsequently stimulated interest from corporations, advertisers, investors and partners worldwide, who started lining up in droves to get in on this phenomenon, salivating over the direct interaction with the coveted demographic. All this while women’s soccer and the WNBA struggle in the doldrums of oblivion. Over the last 6 years Mortaza has developed and expanded the Lingerie Bowl into an empire, earning him the reputation of a 21st

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century Hugh Heffner, and has helped the Lingerie Sports Franchise morph into a household name. His vision culminates September 4th, opening night of the Lingerie Football League, from the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, where the Chicago Bliss host the Miami Caliente. It will be interesting to see where the LFL establishes itself on the spectrum of entertainment and if it will ever be recognized as a legitimate sport. "I think people are going to be very shocked when they see a good looking girl who can really play football" Tampa Breeze starting QB Jen Myer told Backslash Magazine on July 30. "Were going to attract the fans with our looks, and we’ll keep them interested with our high level of play...The league wouldn't succeed if we were falling all over the place like a bunch of bimbos.” The XFL failed miserably, but they didn’t have scantily clad women battling it out on the gridiron. Are the participants professional athletes? If so, what example are they setting for young girls? "Our league is serious, and we’re really learning how to play football; we run plays, and make tackles,” said Michelle Stevens, starting running back of the Miami Caliente. "They want us to look good, and play hard, and I think the level of competition will be really intense. We can look good and know how to play." Will the Lingerie Football League prove that babes can be bruisers or will it just be another medium women are exploited as eye-candy? If the LFL is to be considered a legitimate women’s athletic league, will it be grouped in with women's tennis, soccer, and basketball? Mortaza doesn’t think so. "The LFL as opposed to most women's professional sports will draw fan fare, media attention and corporate sponsorship on par eventually with the major four men's pro sports," the commissioner told Backslash Magazine on July 30. "It's far more marketable than any other women's pro sports league which will draw the initial fan fare, ultimately the quality of the play on the field will retain fan fare." Who says sexy girls cant be tough? Or tough girls can't be sexy? Let's give the LFL a shot... _Jonathan Alpert \\ FIU

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SHOCKING \\ Quotes

RELIGION \\ Vodooism Voodooism is easily misconstrued and misrepresented when described out of context. For example, up until the research part of this article, I had always pictured a sort of ‘Angel Heart’ image of this cultish group of people, mainly concerned with black magic and morbid motivations of cursing somebody. It is important to note that this is only true of about 5% of Voodoo religion, and is called Petro (or sometimes, Congo). These devotees are usually occupied with negative and angry spirits, and spend their time cursing others, participating in orgies and attempting to resurrect the dead. This, as far as one can tell, is the origin of the ‘Zombi’. However, the dominant population of Voodooism is called Rada, and focuses on more peaceful aspects of it all, creating a pretty solid religion. And it certainly is a religion. It’s also much more similar to our western religious beliefs than one would think. Bondye, is their God, and there is only him. Loa, are the spirits that accompany the every day life of a practicing Voodooist. They include such simple elements as positivity, negativity, health, potent reproductive abilities, and family welfare. The negative and positive

elements are usually referred to as ‘the twins’. These spirits are meant to be honored, and in the mind of a believer – they better be. If honored properly, the twins will skew toward the positive, and better your life and general state of mind. The same goes for family spirits. The dead are to be respected, and even a relative of yours who was once close to you will undoubtedly worsen your quality of life if his or her spirit is not honored ceremonially. There are basically two spirits to one body: Ti-bon-ange, or ‘little good angel’, could be synonymous with our ‘conscience’. Gros-bon-ange (‘big good angel’) would therefore be our ‘soul’. It is this part of us that is as close to Bondye (God) as a living Voodooist will ever be. When a person dies, for example, it is the Gros-bon-ange that presents that person’s case to Bondye, ultimately revealing one’s final destination. There are no devils in Voodoo, only evil spirits of sorts, which the small percentage of participating Petro Voodooists certainly try to ally themselves with.

Michael Steele — In response to a question on how to make the Republican Party more diverse, “My plan is to say, Y’all come…I got the fried chicken and potato salad.” Barack Obama — “Health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade, and I mean it. … I am very worried about federal spending.” Bob Bernanke — “Quantitatively, outsourcing abroad simply cannot account for much of the recent weakness in the U.S. labor market and does not appear likely to be an important restraint to further recovery in employment,” Glenn Beck to first ever Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison — “Sir, Prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — Responding to a mistranslated question, “You want to know what my husband thinks? My husband is not the secretary of state, I am. You ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I’m not going to be channeling my husband,” Former CIA Employee Michael SCHEUER — “The only chance we have, as a country right now, is to have Osama Bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the U.S. … Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand their government to protect them.”

_Marco Magaritoff \\ Pace

DRUG \\ LSD For the Terminally lll

LSD (D-Lysergic acid diethylamide), the most studied psychedelic drug prior to its ban in 1970, is being studied again after a 35-year hiatus. Prior research has suggested that LSD is helpful with depression, alcoholism, severity and frequency of headaches and with the anxieties associated with death. Though studies suggest that LSD can be used for treatment of various conditions, more research must be done to comply with current drug development standards. Currently, LSD research is being done in Solothum, Switzerland by principle investigator Peter Gasser M.D. The LSD-Assisted Psychotherapy research is currently assessing twelve subjects for potential treatment for those who experience significant clinical levels of anxiety due to terminal or lifethreatening illness, such as advanced-stage cancer. This research will accompany both MDMAassisted and Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy projects, which together will help develop future treatment approaches. MAPS (Multidiciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), the sponsor for this project, is hoping for results that will help them develop LSD into a prescription medicine. Completion of this study is expected in fall 2010. Stay tuned. _Amy Grossinger \\ FIU Alum

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insane \\ Websites

Epic Fail \\ CNN

STRIKING \\ Statistics

Earth911.com Need to recycle something other than plastic, cardboard, or aluminum? Earth 911 let’s you specify what you need to recycle and locates a center in your area. lifehacker.com This site offers tips and tricks to improve your tech life. Articles show you how to clean up Firefox or where to find the latest downloads. gethighnow.com This article took me three days to write because I spent so much time on this website. It offers both visual highs and audio highs designed around the inner-workings of your brain. thisisphotobomb.com With its LoLcat style, this hilarious site displays all photos that are “bombed” by something happening in the foreground or background unaware to the people posing in the picture. newser.com Have A.D.D and want to know what’s happening in the world? This site offers hundreds of snippets with links to the main article. It’s like HuffPost on speed.

There has been a long battle in media, since its inception, between content of populism and elitism. A fight between what sells and what is relevant and intelligent in the world. Recently, CNN has chosen to clutter and tarnish their image as a credible and intelligent news source.But instead of playing the card of hatred and fear, as Fox has beautifully done in the past eight months, they have chosen to become hip and down to earth with the younger demographic. Here’s the problem, that young demographic gets their news from online sources and will only turn on cable news to get more in depth coverage of something they read about on the internet. So instead of toughing out their horrible ratings and sticking to their guns, CNN has chosen to create pop-culture segments as Just Sayin’ and recycle tweets and facebook status updates as the word on the street. If I want to hear that ReX732 thinks that popular media is covering the birthers too much, I will read his post online or on my phone. A simpler way to put this; the Internet can become a television but television will never become the Internet. If CNN keeps this up they will not only fail but be non-existent in a couple of years.

During the Cash for Clunkers program, the Ford Explorer was the number one traded in car. The Toyota Corolla was the number one bought car.

the same time, the user is also inhaling toxic and cancerous by-products such as carbon monoxide, tar and ash. On the contrary, vaporizing a substance heats it up in a vacuum. The active ingredients of the herb boils off into a vapor to be inhaled in a hose or through a pipe at a cooler temperature -- rather than being combusted -- eliminating smoke and the harsh taste altogether, and placing less irritation on the lungs and bronchials. Furthermore, it has been proven that smoking can also decrease the potency and effectiveness of the active ingredients in herbs, while vaporization requires less herb to achieve the effects of its

ingredients—you get much more for using less. What’s more, vaporization eliminates most of the scent of the herb, creating an odorless session, which can come in handy in many situations. Try adding a few drop of eucalyptus oil to your vaporizer to coat and sooth the bronchials for a truly delectable experience. To get the most out of your herb while greatly reducing or eliminating the harmful effects of smoking, try vaporization today.

15 States have jobless rates above 10%. Florida public schools now have the right to raise tuition 15% per year. The U.S. projects that swine flu could kill between 30,000 – 90,000 Americans before the end of the year. U.S. banks will make over $38 billion dollars in overdraft fees this year. Obama’s Approval rating is now at 50%. He has reached this new low more quickly than former President George W Bush. Facebook has had a 513% growth in 55+ users, while it’s College and High School demographic concurrently dropped 20%.

SMOKING \\ Vaporizer With so many different options to choose from, today’s smoker is spoiled in comparison with our humble, corncob-smoking ancestors of a better, vanished time of the halcyon days of yore. There are crazy, elaborate glass pipes of all shapes and sizes, hookahs, cigarette papers, blunt wraps—no longer do we need to buy Dutchmasters just to gut them and throw away the tobacco—and of course, vaporizers… sweet, sweet vaporizers. Vaporization has been called the most effective alternative to smoking for a variety of reasons. During regular smoking (“combustion”), the substance is burned releasing its active ingredients, but at

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_Kris Liaugminas \\ UM Alum

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CRAZY \\ New Florida Laws If you buy addictive prescription drugs, you will now be put into a state database designed to quell the pharmaceutical black market.

Drink \\ In Food

FOOD \\ In Drink

Jean’s Bourbon Ice Cream 4 Eggs ¾ Sugar ½ Bourbon 1 can Evaporated Milk 6 cups Half-Half Beat Eggs while adding sugar. Stir in the bourbon, evaporated milk, and half-half. Place into a gallon container and freeze. Braised Onions with Whiskey 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil 2 Tbsp. Margarine 4 Onions cut in 1” slices 1 Tsp. Salt ½ Tsp. Ground Pepper ¼ Chicken Broth ¼ Cups of Whiskey ¼ Chicken Broth

Chocolate Cake Shot ½ oz of Frangelico hazelnut liqueur. ½ oz of Stoli Vanil vodka. Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Shot 1/5 Jager 1/5 Goldschlager 1/5 Bacardi 151 1/5 Kahlua 1/5 Baileys

You can now be pulled over solely for not having your seat belt buckled. The minimum charge of this offense is 35 dollars. Your DNA will be put on a state record if you commit a felony and will not be taken off even if the charge is later dismissed. Bright Future scholarships will no longer offer the potential full coverage of your tuition instead the maximum grant receivable is 126 dollars per credit hour. Native American reservations are no longer exempt from paying state taxes on cigarettes.

Original Oatmeal Cookie ½ oz. Cinnamon Schnapps ½ oz. Butterscotch Schnapps ½ oz. Irish Cream Tootsie Roll ½ oz. Coffee Liqueur ½ oz Orange Juice ½ oz Vodka Sweet Tart ¼ Lime Juice ¼ Pineapple Juice

DRINKING Game \\ Bond, James Bond

Easily the greatest discovery I have made this summer has been the institution of "Bond Mondays" on

the USA Network. Each Monday, USA features a nice selection of three assorted James Bond classics from a library of 22 delicious films—pound some drinks and dance into the fire, and you’re bound to see a view that will kill all of your back to school blues. Each person must have a full drink at their disposal, with a steady supply of reinforcements ready for action: Drink twice (nice, large gulps) whenever someone says "James" Drink twice (no skimping) whenever someone says "Bond" Drink twice whenever someone says "007" Drink whenever Bond uses one of Q's gadgets, or whenever Q cracks some comical, belittling remark to 007 ("Grow up, 007!”) Drink anytime you hear one of those crazy, double-entendre names for a bond girl (Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Holly Goodhead, Octupusy, Honey Rider, etc.) _Kris Liaugminas \\ UM Aloum

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Armory

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movers and shakers

another miami gem shimmering in the national spotlight Words - Vincent Cimilluca UM PHOTOS - Mackenzie Levine UM

hrough the cold steel sounds of the Miami electronic music scene buds a vibrant flower by the name of Rachel Goodrich. Feeding off the daylight, her acoustic folk and rockabilly style is something to be cherished in the dark nightclub atmosphere that tries but fails at shadowing her work. “Miami has inspired me in ways where I like to keep it a bit upbeat… In the beginning, it took a lot of patience and was quite the challenge, considering it was not the folk atmosphere, but I just kept on going with a smile on my face. It is easier to be more upbeat in the sun." She has captivated audiences over the years with her multi-faceted songs containing whimsical instruments that alleviate hidden dark undertones and augment the effects of the blissful ones. Buoyant tunes emanate from Ukuleles, Kazoos, Xylophones, Harmonicas, Pots, and spoons. They inject colorful rhythms of elation and transport you to a fantastical place filled with ladybugs, unicorns, and wild turkeys. See Music Video for “LightBulb." Growing up in a house full of music, receiving inspiration from the sounds of her father’s guitar and her grandmother’s piano, Rachel has been delighting the ears of the people around her since before the age of twelve. She has managed to perfect the feel and sound of almost every instrument she puts her hands on while, at the same time, having immense insight when to properly employ them in her songs. It is one thing to know how to play an instrument; it is a far better and harder to attain skill to know how and when to properly use that sound. At the forefront of all her talents is something that has been latent the majority of her life, her voice. When somebody told me that she didn’t try to sing until a couple of years ago, I didn’t believe them, I still don’t to this day. It perfectly accompanies the mood of the instruments and adds immeasurable depth to the feel of her songs. Its gentle yet powerful sound

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is like a drug giving you a full-bodied high, filling your senses with feelings of ecstasy and beauty. When you realize this sound is still in its beginning stages, the tingling of anticipation and excitement washes over as you realize you’re not even peaking yet. Although the title of the band, or lack their of, suggests differently, this “shake-a-billy” sound is not a solo effort. The beating pulse of her music would be nowhere as vital without feeding off the inspiration radiating from her band mates George Martinez, Jeffrey James, and Geneva Harrison. They weave through the laid foundation, coating the abstract with concrete, helping build this powerhouse of sound. “I gave them the starting ground with my tunes. Over time, we have come very close. We all share our artistic values and opinions. It’s definitely a joint effort." To put all this more simply, her music, whether it is introspective and personal or extrovert and playful, puts a smile on your face as you bask in the perfect company of the sunny weather. Nearly five months ago, I saw her perform at Swamp Stomp, a Miami festival that has been rapidly increasing in popularity since its inception in 2007. Other than her magical performance, all I can remember from that night was questioning the surrounding drunk people who told me that she was

local. That is impossible, I told them. How could someone with so much innate talent be confined to such a small audience in Miami? I spoke too soon. Already in the works was an intensive three-month long North American tour with Jean Marie, another amazing local band. “I am so excited… we’re using their van. We’re attaching a trailer in the back… I can’t wait to play in places like Montreal, Toronto, Indianapolis and Wisconsin," Goodrich says. Amongst all the places she was set to play, there was one venue, in Michigan, that towered over the rest for its amazing lineup, Rothbury Festival. Featuring such acts as The Dead, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson. This was the perfect atmosphere for her music, a place where her work could be fully appreciated. A typically calm and collected person, when I asked her about this future endeavor, she cracked a huge smile and loudly exclaimed, “I’m freaking out, the Grateful Dead is one of my favorite bands. You can’t go wrong… It’s going to be amazing!” Over the summer, Rachel Goodrich finally received the exposure that she deserves. At the time she was constantly playing at local radio stations and enchanting the masses with singular performances, an opportunity to display her work in the national spotlight emerged. An announcement was

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made that her hit song “Lightbulb” was going to be featured on the hit show Weeds. Even though I thought “Dope Song” would have been a better fit for obvious reasons, Her ukulele played out a distraught Nancy Botwin in the episodes final moments, transforming this quirky song intro into a climatic tune of emotional insanity. This is the just the beginning to the fruition of effort that this band has put into everything they have produced. Rachel Goodrich, just a local gem nearly three months ago, now shimmers in the sun that illuminates endless roads of opportunity. From playing with legends to being featured on hit television shows, there are no signs that this recently departed train will ever slow down. You would think that this success would transform the outlook and psyche of a person, possibly causing them to be full of excessive pride and twisting their personality for the worse; this is not the case for Rachel. Whether it originates from modesty, selflessness, or just sheer bewilderment, Rachel is still the same person she was three months ago. A fun-loving, cute, and gentle soul that wants nothing more than a guitar and an audience. “I just want to play music. I have no expectations or fear. I just go with it… Whatever happens, happens."

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continuations

STUDENTS GROWING GREENS ...From pg. 29

After Umphreys helped me navigate a successful mission into the infinite abyss of laughter and euphoria, I decided to relax a little bit and took a seat by the Peach Stage, where guitar legend Buddy Guy was shredding away. There was no better place to be on June 5th, at 6pm, than laying down, spliff in hand, sunglasses on, admiring the sky and sun as epic rays of sunlight penetrated through the shape-shifting clouds, listening to the sweet sounds of Buddy Guy. Words cannot describe the next hour. I can’t recall the thoughts racing through my head, the jokes that were told, but I do remember basking in Florida sun and cherishing the cool breeze tickling my body

Go purchase a sweet potato and let it sit in your room for couple of weeks. Once you see little things sprouting from the end of the potato, cut off the end and stick it in a little cup of water. Be sure that you don’t submerge completely; only the roots need to be in water. Put it next to window and wait for leaves to appear. Once this happens, find a nice spot outside and stick it in the dirt. Keep it moist, watch out for snails and other pests, and watch your sweet potatoes grow! If you’re really interested in growing your own food, you’ll need more information than what I’ve provided here. Go online or to the nurseries and ask about organic fertilizers, composting, soil nutrients, irrigation, and pest control. Another benefit of growing your own food is the lifestyle change that accompanies it. You’ll probably start buying organic cereals and farmraised meats and poultry. You may start composting all of your kitchen waste and recycling everything that you possibly can. Next thing you know, you’ll be a full-blown hippie! But remember – the most important thing is not to get discouraged. There will always be struggles within the process of growing your own food, but the rewards are worth it. Besides, no one said that being independent is easy.

_Jonathan Alpert \\ FIU

_Valerie Syren \\ FGCU

COACHELLA ... From pg. 32

eye. I almost have a conniption from the all the stimuli. Lightning? I look to the left to see the dueling Tesla Coils in the middle of the fairgrounds. Since they are between the main stage, where McCartney is playing, and myself, I walk towards them. Sadly, on this night, I have no time to spare. I pass the jolts of random electricity and open-mouthed onlookers as the main stage in the distance goes black and Paul McCartney approaches the mic to a wave of screams. On my hurried walk to the stage, I pass by a two-story robotic hand crushing a car that is controlled by an audience member. For the rest of the festival, I fight to separate fantasy from reality. _Vincent Cimilluca \\ UM

WANEE ... From pg. 32

ventured off into some dark places (like their new CD, Mantis), but I guess instances like that happen when playing over 100 shows a year. Nevertheless, it was one of the best Umphrey's McGee shows I've ever seen. The guitar battles between Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger never cease to amaze me, and it seems like every time they ventured off into a jam, my thoughts drifted into a improvisational tangent of its own...what a band.

CAMP BISCO ... From pg. 32

the Disco Biscuits put an exclamation mark on their Festival with two sets to close out the main stage. James Murphy (LCD Soundsytem) spun a groovy set break, infusing 70's and 80's disco with precise drum and bass and new age synth. After the Biscuits wrapped up another flawless set, their sixth in two and a half days, I journeyed over the dance tent for one final booty shake. James Murphy and his DFA buddies were spinning until 4:30 a.m. when the plug was pulled. Murphy's disco sound continued to amaze me as this wasn’t a rave at all. It was a straight-up dance party. Camp Bisco isn’t like any other festival; it’s a whole different animal. For three days, the attendees at Camp Bisco all have the same common goal -- to live in the moment. It doesn’t matter what the consequences are. It’s time to get weird and rage, time to melt faces and squish brains. Other festivals sometimes focus on social change, preaching leftist views and spreading the word of a clean environment. I do think music festivals can be used as a good platform to reach a lot of America’s youth, but I'm relieved that all Camp Bisco emphasizes is the "here and now". _Jonathan Alpert \\ FIU ...

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Shopbar Fashion Show @ Blacksheep 420 Lincoln Road, South Beach

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Dorm : $50 1 room 1 bath : $60 2 bedroom 2 bath : $70 3 bedroom 2 bath : $80 4 bedroom 3 bath : $120 call Emely Paulino for a free estimate se habla espanol 786.444.1415 786.230.4699 emelyjj@hotmail.com

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Local Joints:

miami college hot spots

1 Jazid 1 3 4 2 W a s h in g t on Av e M iami B e ac h , F L 3 3 1 3 9 (305) 673-9372 Who says live music is dead in Miami? Jazid keeps the focus on the funky with nightly live music. Featuring everything from live reggae on Sundays to Afrobeta freshness on Tuesdays, this South Beach bar keeps the locals coming and the tourists intrigued. Local as well as international DJ’s take over the upstairs lounge and spin a delicious combo of electro, world, D&B, and acid jazz depending on the night. Seating can be tricky so get there early (that’s around 10pm) if you want a seat for the show. The bartenders are knowledgeable and fast. Drink prices can be reasonable if you go with their nightly specials ($4 shots, $3 beers), otherwise they are on South beach and will rape you with hard, cold, south beach prices. There is a cover on some nights (no more than $5-$10) however, Jazid delivers what few others will in this Top 40’s town; fresh-faced music, every damn night.

2 Transit Lounge 7 2 9 S . W. 1 s t Av e . M iami , F L 3 3 1 3 0 (305) 377-4628 “A Five Star Dive Bar” is what locals have to say about Transit Lounge. This no-cover–nodress-code lounge is all about an unpretentious night out. Ladies enjoy free drinks on Tuesdays 10pm-2am and Wednesdays bring out the Rock Band stars and Karaoke divas. Mondays host a local jam session where artists bring their own instruments and jam out with whoever wants to join in. Thursdays you will catch some great local live acts and Fridays to Sundays you hear everything from World to the glorious 80’s. Drinks specials are sweet, like $5 Jack all night Wednesdays, $3 shots Fridays and $1 draughts on Sundays.

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3 Electric Pickle 2 8 2 6 N M iami Av e M iami , F L 3 3 1 2 7 - 3 9 3 2 (305) 456-5613 Get your dance pickle tickled with an underground groove. The club once known as Two Last Shoes is similar to Cheers bathed in Miami Funk. Everyone knows everyone but new-bees are converted every night. This is the Mecca of alternative as each night hosts something different. Wednesdays you can hear Miami style soul, hip-hop reggae and funk and ladies drink free 10pm-11:30pm. “Stop, Drop and Roll” Thursdays host genres like psychobilly, swing, revolutionary rock, hotsteppers and boogaloo. “Aqua boogie and the Magic City Disco Machine”, one of Miami’s longest running infamous deep dance parties spits heavy Funk, nu-disco, electro and deep tech. Whatever your druthers, The Pickle is a safe haven to bump and grind to your kind of music.

4 PS-14

28 NE 14th St M iami , F L 3 3 1 3 2 - 1 3 1 1 (305) 358-3600 Squeezed in between Vagabond and White Room in downtown Miami, PS14 keeps it real with local talent and a hip dive bar feel. If you aren’t feeling the inside music, venture out to the outside patio where you may find anything from local DJ’s spinning Miami freestyle and D&B to Open Mic jam sessions and poetry. Thursdays “No Brainer” party lives up to its name with $1 Red Stripes and “Flamingo Fridays” thrown by Nasty keeps it mixed up music-wise with South Florida talent. Saturdays pay homage to 2-4-1 drinks and mainstream Indie rock inside with a mash-up of genres outside. You might pay cover for live bands, and a homeless person might be sleeping on your car when you get out.

Enter to win a $50 gift card to each of these joints at: contests.backslashonline.com

No purchase necessary. Entries only accepted online. Must be 21 years or older to enter. One entry per person per week; no exceptions. For a complete list of the contest rules check contests.backslashonline.com

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Local happy hour guide:

miami

300 Alton Road, Suite 200 Miami Beach Fl (305) 695-7702 50% off Entrees for “In the Biz” ½ priced drinks at partnered Beijos Lounge

G ATS B Y ' S

7221 SW 58th Ave, South Miami, FL (305) 669-8577 Reggae Night

TOOTSIE ' S CA B ERET

150 NW 183rd St, Miami, FL (305) 651-5822 1/2 off all drinks noon-8pm

8575 SW 124th Ave Miami, FL (305) 412-2220 Bucket night 5 domestic for $10 5 Imports for $15

Q UATER D EC K SO . B EAC H

17813 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL (305) 931-1900 21 over/No cover/ $3 beers, $3 Jager shots and $5 cocktails

1430 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL (305) 531-2441 3-7pm (M-F) ½ price wells ½ price beers ½ price house wine 50 cent oysters 35 cent p&e shrimp and wings

D ORAL ALE H OUSE

B OTECO B RA Z ILIAN B AR

J USTIN ' S IN AVENTURA

3271 NW 87th Ave, Doral, FL‎ (305) 629-9442 M-F $1 drinks $1.50 beers, 5 bottles for $6.95 Sunday and Monday: $3 pitchers w/ fingers $2 wells every day all day

916 NE 79th St, Miami, FL (305) 757-7735‎ Ladies Night 7-11:30pm

Carrington's 9555 S dixie highway Miami, FL 33156

(305) 667-9673 College Night, $2 pitchers

Carrington's 9555 S dixie highway Miami, FL 33156

305.667.9673 Ladies drink free 9pm-12am

3426 Main Hwy, Miami, FL (305) 444-5270 Penny beer night, thats right one cent!

B o a r dwa l k p i zz a

J USTINS AVENTURA

3421 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove, FL (305) 567-0080 NMB ALE House Ladies drink free 8 - 12

MARTINI B AR

5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 124A Miami, FL (305) 665-3052 Ladies drink free martinis all night

Transit Lounge

SAN D B AR COCONUT G ROVE

3426 Main Hwy, Miami, FL (305) 444-5270 $3 bottle beer

G ATS B Y ' S

8575 SW 124th Ave Miami, FL (305) 412-2220 Ladies drink ½ off all day and night

Electric Pickle

J USTINS AVENTURA

2826 N Miami Ave Miami, FL 33127-3932 (305) 456-5613 Ladies drink free 10pm-11:30pm

916 NE 79th St, Miami, FL (305) 757-7735‎ Ladies night 7pm-11:30pm

17813 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL (305) 931-1900 $1 drinks $10 Millet Lite buckets $15 Heineken buckets

729 S.W. 1st Ave. Miami, FL 33130 (305) 377-4628 $5 Jack all Night

B OTECO B RA Z ILIAN B AR

SAN D B AR

Thursday

B OU G AINVILLEAS

Wednesday

TE X AS D E B RA Z IL

Tuesday

monday

Mt w t

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17813 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL (305) 931-1900 Laid back, college id get you a discount on you tab. guys in free till 1am in girls free all night

fAT TUES D AY

401 Biscayne Blvd # S260 Miami, FL (305) 358-9555 2-4-1 daiquiris College Night/$1 beers, $2corona and Heineken

all specials subject to change with

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