Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Miami Herald, Inc.; a Knight Ridder publication. One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 - Miami Herald (MH) - Thursday, December 26, 1996 Edition: Final Section: Neighbors KE Page: 2 Word Count: 357
Sarah Sutton, Herald Writer
TEXT: Miami Beach High senior Bensin Joseph doesn't think his peers take AIDS seriously enough.
So he used his computer talents to build a web site designed to teach teenagers about the deadly effects of the HIV virus. His message is pretty simple: The AIDS virus kills. He hopes his method will help get the message out.
Joseph, 18, works part time as a computer technician at Miami Internet Inc., 130 NE Second Ave., and spends almost every day plugging away at the project. His boss, Oleg Flyaster, has helped and supported his effort.
"The subject is very important," Flyaster said. "And for him to take it and put it into the utmost advanced communicational and informational technology is fantastic. He's very talented."
Joseph admits to being a little frustrated by the attitude of some teens around him.
"The people in my school don't care about what's going on around them," Joseph said. "All they talk about is sex. I wanted them to know about the dangers of AIDS."
Joseph already knows. Two years ago, he learned that his uncle had tested HIV positive.
"This news shocked me," Joseph said. "Realizing that he was not a homosexual made me open my eyes and see that AIDS does not discriminate."
The web site contains straightforward information about AIDS: the symptoms, how it is contracted, and how to protect yourself -- most of which comes from pamphlets that Joseph got from the state health department and the school clinic.
The page is set up with four buttons listing the information available. One lists updates on the latest medical studies and treatments.
The site also has a chat room, so people can discuss and ask questions about the AIDS virus. Joseph hopes the chat room will catch on among teens, who seem to love talking to each other on the Internet.
WEB ADDRESS
The address for Bensin Joseph's web site is:
www.mii.net/hiv
CAPTION: photo: Bensin Joseph (a)
PETER ANDREW BOSCH / Herald Staff CYBER WARNING: `All they talk about is sex. I wanted them to know about the dangers of AIDS,' says Bensin Joseph.
Copyright (c) 1996 Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reprint Permission: The contents of each issue of The Miami Herald are protected under the federal copyright act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue will not be permitted without the express permission of The Miami Herald. Reprints: 305-376-3719 Staff photos: 305-376-3756. Internal or personal use: Copyright Clearance Center, 508-750-4283, ext. 888; fax 508-750-4744. The Miami Herald or Knight Ridder shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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Copyright © 1996 - Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Miami Herald, Permissions, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 TEL: (305) 376-3719. http://www.herald.com.
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