During a two-hour speech Wednesday, Playboy Adviser columnist James Petersen covered topics such as AIDS, birth control and sex in the ‘80s.

When speaking about AIDS, Petersen said, “Before there was herpes, and now there is AIDS. The only difference is that AIDS can kill you and you want to protect yourself for your life and health.

“The best advice that I can give to you students is one, use a condom and know your partners’ sexual history. Two, do not have sexual intercourse with an intervenous drug user, or three, lock yourself up in a monestary,” Petersen said.

“Basically the AIDS fear is ugly, and the only way it can be countered is with information. There are only three ways that AIDS can be transmitted. One, being born with it. Two, blood to blood (blood tranfusions or sharing needles for intervenous drug use) and three, bodily fluids to blood,” he said.

“In San Francisco last year they ran a survey on AIDS and came up with the result that over half the gay population had AIDS.

“This year there were reported no new AIDS cases in that area. What happened was that the people got scared and then changed their sexual behavior in order to survive,” Petersen said.

Petersen also discussed birth control. He said the condom is most effective in preventing pregnancy and the spread of AIDS. He also said he beleived the birth control pill was a very effective device.

He specifically spoke against the rhythm method and the withdrawl method saying they are the most faulty methods of birth control.

Petersen said when he comes across a difficult question to answer for his column, he asks around and gets a wide range of viewpoints. If it is technical advice he refers to his books.

Petersen, who has written for Playboy for 15 years, also introduced to the audience a number of safe-sex T-shirts and a safe-sex traveler’s kit.

The lecture was a free presentation in a series sponsored by the Campus Activities Board. Petersen was the first speaker of the semester.

CAB representative Michelle Lilly said, “I thought the program was a great success. He is a very interesting and humorous speaker. I think it was a great opportunity for NIU students to have a good time and at the same time get some quality advice from an expert.”

Though in his column Petersen offers advice on all subjects from skiing to wine selection, he basically gives advice on sex and dating.

Following Petersen on the list of speakers for the spring semester are Walter Fauntroy, a black congressman who will discuss civil rights, and Dan Moldea, who will speak about the mafia and Chicago mob.