Victory Deferred: How AIDS Changed Gay Life in America. By John-Manuel Andriote. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1999. $30.00 (hardcover).

Reviewed by: David F. Duncan

The author states that this book will examine “both the ‘big picture’ and its finer details in considering the many ways AIDS affected the nation’s hardest hit community, gay men.” He succeeds in presenting many telling details of that impact. We are introduced to personalities, informed about critical events, and acquainted with controversies that might have lain forgotten in old newspaper archive or fading memories if they werent collected in this book. My only criticism of this rich body of material is that it is poorly organized, especially with regard to chronology. The events covered in a single paragraph may skip forward and backward over a decade.

Where the author may disappoint the reader is in his attempt to present the “big picture.” His historical claims read more like sound bites than serious analytic conclusions. When he asserts that AIDS activism brought about “the transformation of a disorganized collection of despised individuals into a self-affirming community and a full-fledged civil rights movement” and on a later page that “AIDS brought the gay community as a community out of the closet,” he seems to totally overlook gay activism that was well under way before the recognition of AIDS. His thesis is rooted in a picture of the 1970s as an era characterized almost solely by gays closeted in a ghetto where unending promiscuous sexual activity continued until AIDS ended the “party.” This sort of broad sweep painting of all gays of the 70s with the same brush is poor reporting. Though the author certainly has no such intent, it could even be taken as support of the sort of puritanical agenda that sees AIDS as the deserved outcome of an era of moral laxness, even as Gods judgement on homosexuals. It is true, of course, that those who were involved in the “party” were at greatest risk but, as we all know, many who were not promiscuous became infected. Nor has promiscuity disappeared from either the gay or heterosexual communities as a result of the AIDS epidemic.

While the author does a very good job of raising the important issues of power which relate to race, class, and gender, as well as sexual orientation, he seems to have little ability to rise above the immediate issue to give that promised “big picture.” Instead of giving us a broader perspective on the controversies and crises that he presents so well, he tends to focus on condemning the shortsightedness, inflexibility, or selfishness of one or more of the adversary parties. The fact that he often has blame aplenty for all sides to a conflict shows evenhandedness but adds little perspective. This focus on conflict is also reflected in the profusion of war metaphors in this volume, with chapter titles of “Rallying the Troops,” “The Making of Soldiers,” and “War Bonds.” The inutility of such “war on disease” metaphors was ably expressed by Sontag in her brilliant monograph Illness as a Metaphor.

Despite these criticisms of Victory Deferred as an integrative work, it is well worth the price for its profusion of anecdotal details and the important issues it raises and provides a degree of insight into. Even more than that, it preserves some element of the experience and wisdom of many persons interviewed for this book who are no longer with us.

Dr. David F. Duncan is the President of Duncan & Associates, a research and policy studies consulting firm in the areas of public health, mental health, and drug abuse.
http://www.duncan-associates.com

A bouquet is usually made just from flowers, but that doesn’t
have to be the case. You can make your bouquet more interesting
by adding other items, such as candy.

Yeah, you read correctly, I said, Candy!

Candy Bouquets are fun to make, look great, and they are a
fantastic talking piece. I promise that everyone that sees your
candy bouquet will feel compelled to comment on it. Young
children in particular, will be absolutely delighted when they
see your candy bouquet!

To make a candy bouquet, you will need:

- 5 Silk Rose Buds

- 1 Bunch of pearlies

- 2 Thin Gauge wires

- 1 Thick Gauge wire

- 9 Lollipops.

- Silk Leaves

- Stem tape (green or white)

- Ribbon

Step 1: Trimming the lollipops

Trim the lollipop sticks to about an inch or two in length, or
just below the wrapper. Later, we will wire and tape the sticks
just like normal flowers. We do this so that the lollipops can
be moved around and positioned more easily.

Step 2: Trimming the Rose Buds

Trim the stems on the rose bud heads, and then wire and tape
them.

Step 3: Wire the lollipops

To wire the lollipops you will have to put a twist in the wire
around the stick of the lollipop. You will probably have to do
this twice, to make sure that the wire is tight and wont come
loose. The easiest way to do this is to use long-nosed plyers,
and to squeeze the wire around the stick.

Step 4: Wire and Tape the Pearlies

Although you don’t need pearlies in your candy bouquet, they can
work well to soften the bouquet, and make it appear more like an
everyday floral bouquet.

Wire and tape the pearlies. Place the wire alongside the white
part of the pearly strand, and then stem tape in place.

Step 5: Assemble the Candy Bouquet

Now start to assemble the candy bouquet. Start the bouquet with
the lollipops in a bunch, in one hand.

Then slowly insert the leaves between the lollipops.

Fan the lollipops into a circular shape, with the leaves facing
out.

Place the flowers in next, keeping two lollipops between each
flower.

Fill any gaps left over at the end, with leaves and pearlies.

Step 6: Add Figure-of-Eight Bows

Make eight figure-of-eight bows, for the last layer of the candy
bouquet, and fan them around the base. You can use normal
ribbons or curling ribon.

Step 7: Prepare the handle

The last step in making a candy bouquet is to trim and tape the
handle.

That’s it! Simple isn’t it?

All you have to do now, is resist eating the bouquet long enough
for some other people to see it!

Some of the very best of the capital’s restaurants are actually thought to be a few of the best on the planet. Connoisseurs regularly do a lot to eat at one of these locations and commonly you can be made to book a spot ahead of time to ensure you get a table, or maybe to be willing to settle at the venue’s bar area for a small number of cocktails until a dinner table becomes free. A principle venue to feed at is the Ping Pong restaurant; this restaurant is a likeable, contemporary spot to dine at. This immaculate and ritzy place dishes out several of the choicest Dim Sum cuisines that you will ever taste, a superb spread of aromatic tea and awesome cocktails. Should you adore Dim Sum cuisine, this place has got to be one of the foremost spots to feast at.

Also, Nobu is a fresh, new Japanese venue. This place is Nobu’s very 1st United Kingdom restaurant and it’s performed well. Their food is superb & despite that their plates are occasionally small, this restaurant should not be a problem, seen as you’ll almost certainly get lots orders - enjoy the superb calibre instead of merely the sheer sizes. Mainly, this location is able to provide cracking dishes, has agreeable personnel and a delightful delivery.

The Electric Birdcage restaurant, on St James Street, is a restaurant in which folk’s creativity can run truly wild. At this fresh and new location their menus are based upon new Asian food & has been described as being the place to visit - their drinks are superb and it’s masterpiece cocktails simply must be savoured by the connoisseurs. London holds a multitude of expensive, renowned eateries, though it also accords loads of cheap locations, & often these are this city’s modest and unseen prizes.

This capital, as is well known, is an instance of one of the finest cities on the planet - still, it can be quite costly. If one is hunting fabulous, low cost snacks then you’re in the right town to find it, providing you are hunting around the right places. London has innumerable phenomenal outlets - pizza houses, bargain Italian restaurants and loads of healthy cafes. Gourmet Burger Kitchen is an amazing burger house that is inspired by countless magnificent burger joints found in the United Kingdom. There is any kind of burger thinkable, which implies there’s a burger to cater for every one of us. GBK is certainly competitive, & the servings are super, there’s absolutely no requirement to purchase seconds at this place. The Masala Zone is an up and coming bunch of innovative Indian restaurants. These places are similarly reasonably priced and provide traditional Indian Street food, marvellous for those times when you must sup, but all the same a person’s dinner plans must not be for too much time, alternatively suitable for those times when you are on the town with a bunch of associates and you’re after for a spot with fantastic food and obviously the ambiance to equal it. Check out Time Out’s guide to London restaurants.with Time Out.

My first experience surf fishing was with my father on
Wrightsville Beach, NC in the 60’s. He parked our shiny black
Ford Fairlane in a gravel parking lot off the beach and we hiked
over the dunes to the surf, carrying rods, buckets, tackle box
and various other fishing paraphernalia. I remember him catching
bluefish, croakers, puppy drum and flounder as I played in the
tidal pools nearby. Later, my grandmother would fry the filleted
fish to a golden brown and we would eat them with hushpuppies
and coleslaw.

Years later, in the mid-eighties, I remember an early winter
fishing expedition near Oregon Inlet, south of Nags Head, this
time with my husband, 8-month old daughter and a Chesapeake Bay
Retriever puppy. My husband had come in from duck hunting and
had heard the big blues were hitting the beach! We parked our
4-wheel drive truck nearby on the hard sand and with the baby
playing contentedly in her car seat and the puppy chewing on
anything he could find, we lined up along the surf with a few
dozen other fishermen, casting the heavy silver spoon lures into
the churning waters of the big blue blitz. Cast after cast we
were rewarded with huge bluefish, twelve to sixteen pounds,
filling up a wheelbarrow in a pyramid of large fish. Later we
filleted, boiled and ate the fish in casseroles made with mashed
potatoes. Needless to say, we were eating bluefish casseroles
all winter long.

Surf fishing is exciting, rewarding and accessible to all. Most
locations can be reached either by car or ferry. With a basic
understanding of seasons, conditions, equipment and regulations,
an angler can get lucky just about any time of the year, but
typically the very best times to surf fish are spring and fall.

Popular and prolific sport fish species you may catch surf
fishing along the North Carolina coast include:

Channel bass (red drum, puppy drum) The spring season generally
begins in April. This run will peak by mid May and taper off in
early June. Average size in spring is 35 to 50 pounds. In
September the smaller drum will enter the surf. These fish will
range between 2 and 15 pounds. They are more plentiful than the
larger variety and can be found in most sloughs. In late October
the bigger drum (40-70 pounds) return and remain until late
November. Bait of choice is fresh mullet; rods are 9 to 11 feet
with medium to heavy action tips. Size allowed is between 18″
and 27″ with a daily bag limit of 1 per person.

Bluefish Blues are available in a variety of sizes from April to
December to surf fishermen and boaters as well. Large size blues
(8-12 pounds) arrive in May and remain until November. Their
departure is generally hastened by the arrival of the fall run
of 15-20 pound giant blues. These later fall visitors are
plentiful and powerful. They’ll take bait (mullet, spot, or
menhaden) or almost any type of lure. Fishing rods 9 to 11 feet
are preferred. Bag limit of 15 per day per person. Only 5
allowed over 24″ total length (from tip of snout to tip of
compressed tail).

Spanish mackerel This fish is somewhat of a tourist, arriving in
June and staying until later September. The Spanish is
delicious, averages 1 to 3 pounds and presents a real challenge
to any angler. Spanish mackerel are usually taken on fast moving
metal lures. Fishing rod of choice is a 9 foot light action.
Minimum size allowed is 12″ fork length (from tip of snout to
middle of fork in tail). Bag limit of 15 per day per person

Striped bass Recently during the winter months striped bass have
returned to NC waters in great numbers. October, November and
December are the best times for fishing, with fish still showing
up as late as February. In Atlantic waters, size limit is over
27″ total length with bag limit of 2 per day. For sounds and
other areas, consult the NC Marine Fisheries website.

Flounder (summer, southern) Flounder begin biting in May as the
water warms. By June, the fishing is going strong, with both
summer and southern flounder being caught. Southern flounder
dominate the catch in inshore and southern NC waters, while
summer flounder dominate the catch in offshore waters north of
Cape Hatteras. Many flounder are caught using cut baits and some
are caught using jigs. When jigs are used, they work best when
tipped with fish, shrimp or a mullet minnow.

Other species available to North Carolina surf fishermen are
pompano, croaker, trout, spot, hogfish and whiting (sea mullet).

Be advised that there is a proposed recreational saltwater
fishing license which is scheduled to take effect January 2006.
The license is still being debated by the North Carolina General
Assembly and you should check the NC Marine Fisheries website
(http://www.ncfisheries.net) to determine if a license is
required before fishing the NC coast after that date.

Also, the size regulations and limits given above are accurate
at the time of this writing (summer 2005) but are subject to
change, so check the NC Marine Fisheries website to confirm
these regulations before your fishing expedition.

Whether beginning angler or old salt, surf fishing is a popular
and fun activity with minimal expense, no boat required, easy
access to great fishing conditions and plenty of action. With a
minimum of effort and expense, you can catch a variety of
excellent eating fish, have a great time and start making your
own memories.