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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2002)
Pulse Terri Theobald models a pair of wild novelty contacts at Rainbow Optics' campus location. Mark McCambridge Emerald Novelty lenses have come both into vogue and technological feasibility in recent years, but wearers should be aware of proper fit and care Jacquelyn Lewis Pulse Editor If the old cliche stands true, and the eyes re ally are the windows to the soul, then fashion savvy teens and college students are sporting some exotic curtains. Novelty contact lenses have been a stylish accessory since the late 1990s, but recent technological advances have made them an even more attractive addition to a wardrobe, especially for costumes and special occasions. Thanks to companies like GIBA Vision and Cooper Vision, the lens wearer can now look like a dragon or a cat. Wearers can make a dif ferent kind of fashion statement by donning lenses with flames on or contacts that make the eye sockets appear as creepy, gaping voids. Rainbow Optics optometrist Dr. Paul Roline said these types of lenses are most popular with college-age customers. Roline said CIBA Vision, which offers the popular brand Wild Eyes, has the largest assortment on the map. The company launched its newest novelty lens, GlitterEyes, on Nov. 12 —just in time for the holiday season. Actual glitter is encapsu lated inside the contact lenses, intended to give eyes a unique sparkle. Roline said Rainbow Optics, located at 766 E. 13th Ave., carries a large assortment of Wild Eyes, but the office can order any type of lens the customer desires. “We can get anything,” Roline said. Novelty lenses can be purchased for any where from #25 to hundreds of dollars, and they are becoming increasingly easy to obtain. They can be an interesting and fun addition to any outfit or costume. However, eye care professionals say cus tomers need to know that contacts are used for medical reasons and do carry risks, especially if they are not fitted properly. Oregon Health & Science University joined the Food and Drug Administration in late October in warning customers against purchasing the lenses without a prescription and professional fitting. “People often buy these contacts off the In ternet, or at flea markets, makeup counters, or hair and nail salons,” Casey Eye Institute di rector of Contact Lens Services Mark Andre said in an OHSU press release. “They’re a lot of fun, but usually buyers just don’t know how to properly wear or care for them.” Dr. William Mathers, OHSU professor of oph thalmology, said contacts purchased at places other than a professional optometrist’s office pose a potential danger because these types of lenses aren’t approved by the FDA. Unlike CIBA Vision, Cooper Vision or other lenses purchased at an eyecare specialist, these might be import ed from foreign countries, and many are not Turn to Eyes, page 8 Curator Boese puts a fun new spin on hoaxes, trickery In his new book, UCSD graduate student Alex Boese details classic pranks, lies, tricks and their history Book review Jacquelyn Lewis Pulse Editor Was the toilet really invented by Thomas Grapper? This is just one of the many burning questions ex plored in “curator” Alex Boese’s new book, “The Museum of Hoax es: A Collection of Pranks, Stunts, Deceptions, and Other Wonderful Stories Contrived for the Public from the Middle Ages to the New Millennium.” Boese, a graduate student at the University of California at San Diego, has compiled a veritable mountain of hoaxes, tricks and lies. The collection also includes re quirements a falsity must satisfy to be considered a hoax. The shams and their histories are displayed in thematic and chrono logical order, from before 1700 to the present. Boese pays homage to schemes as well known as Milli Vanilli and crop circles to more ob scure follies, including Mary Toft, a woman who literally gave birth to rabbit babies in 1726. The “babies” actually turned out to be just rabbit parts, and how she “gave birth” to them is truly gag-worthy. “The Museum of Hoaxes” also gives a nod to celebrated hoaxers throughout history, such as Jonathan Swift and Benjamin Franklin. Amidst the trickery, Boese sprin kles the pages with snippets of April Fool’s Day history and classic holiday pranks. The author also in cludes photographs wherever pos sible. The jackalopes — rabbits with horns — and tail-tale post cards depicting ears of corn larger than a house, are a few of the fun niest. Boese also included a gullibil ity test, aimed at making even the most cynical reader feel duped. Boese refers to his Web site, Summer in Paris 2QQ5 thf AMERICAN UNIVERSITY of PARIS Two 5-week Summer Sessions: I. June 2-July 8, 2003 II. July 12-Aug. 14, 2003 Two 3-week Sessions of French Immersion: I. June 2-June 25, 2003 II. July 12- Aug. 1, 2003 Other Special Programs Tel: (33) l 40 62 06 14 Fax: (33) I 40 62 07 17 or in the U.S.: (303) 757-6333 summer^aup.edu www.aup.edu www.museumofhoaxes.com, sever al times. The site contains an even more vast array of schemes than the book. In the book’s afterword, the “cura tor” reveals that his museum, though not a hoax itself, is elaborate ly designed to serve a higher purpose than sheer entertainment. “Instead of examining evidence internal to a claim (i.e., how reason able it sounds), it’s far better to look f at evidence external to the claim: Where it came from, how it was pro duced, and why. This is the ultimate lesson of the Museum’s Gullibility Test,” Boese wrote. He said the best way to avoid being hoaxed is to fol low the above advice. Or readers could simply perform the magic medieval truth spell in cluded in the book: Just “place the heart and left foot of a toad over a sleeping person’s mouth.” Presum ably, the sleeper will tell the truth when they awaken — hmm, maybe this is where the term “cough it up” originated, because 1 suspect there might be some vom iting involved. Highly recommended, this satisfy ingly complete compilation is avail able at bookstores now. Contact the Pulse editor atjacquelynlewis@dailyemerald.com. 2 Bedroom Apartments in Spencer View and Westmoreland and Houses in East Campus are now available! If you are a UO student AND The parent/guardian of a child OR A graduate student OR At least 21 years old You are invited to apply! Log on to www.housing.uoregon.edu or Stop by the University Housing office (Walton Complex on the corner of 15th and Agate) • • I II I 4 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON An EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity
