However, I say let’s wait for Obama’s computerized medical data acquisition and free government health care plan to take care of this simple “behavioral” epidemic. Since we have been promised that his health care plan will be most efficient I suspect by then medication can be dispensed that will guarantee multiple, ultimate climaxes without a partner while it actually rots off the genitals and grows all orifices shut.

Of course, politicians know that education could solve this problem. We need to use the presidency in a most effective way, much like Clinton did in teaching us that oral sex is not sex.

My health; well, that depends on what you consider to be “well.” I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (cancer) in late 2006, resulting from my compromised immune system – but the cancer is now in remission. As with so many others who are infected with the virus I have to take meds to keep my CD4 count high and viral load low (which at present is undetectable so they are obviously working). The meds are expensive as all hell, costing $2000 a month. I suppose this is why I find it ludicrous that there are actually people out there who intentionally TRY to become infected (the “bug chasers), as if it’s some wonderful kind of club or something. (Not saying that is common but I’ve heard it happens.)

Inasmuch as George W. Bush is concerned I have nothing good to say about the man. I’m really glad he’s out of the White House [FINALLY!]. I don’t blame him for “everything” that is wrong today but he’s certainly (imo) done more harm than good. And no, I don’t blame the Republican Party for everything either. In every election I vote for the person, not the party. Even as a registered Democrat I had enough reservations about Barack that I ended up voting for McCain in the last election (but to tell the truth, am somewhat relieved that Barack won – I don’t know, go figure).

The truth be known Ronald Reagan is to blame for a good many AIDS related deaths as well as the increased transmission rates of HIV in this country. The cretin couldn’t get past his homophobic supposition that HIV/AIDS was a “gay disease” (a condition shared by Bush 1). While others were mourning Reagan’s death my own response was, “good riddance; let’s take out the trash and put him in the ground already.”

Had he been open to educating himself and getting past his morally superior attitude we might have seen some early education on the matter which would have helped equipped more “at risk” persons to take reasonable precautions to protect themselves from being infected. Yes, it is the responsibility of the individual to do what he or she can to protect against infection; I won’t argue the point but we still need to know the “facts” in order to equip ourselves to do this. I was negative, always practiced safer sex and got tested one to two times a year for HIV up until I met my partner of 6.5 years in late 1994. All of my HIV tests will support my status. HOWEVER, that relationship was 6.5 years of pure hell, both mentally and emotionally abusive and my partner misled me to believe he had tested negative for the virus. I bought his claims (stupid me!) As it turns out all those years of safer-sex would become a moot point when my so-called lover infected me with the virus. I left the lying s.o.b. in 2001 because of the abuse and THAT is when I discovered he had infected me. I don’t blame my status on Reagan, Bush (1) or the Republicans – I blame it on two people; my partner (and myself for buying into his lies without insisting on seeing firsthand actual and current test results before participating in unprotected sex with my then partner.

That said, I DO attribute many of the earlier transmissions of HIV to Ronald Reagan’s unwillingness to do more to (1) really understand the virus and how it is transmitted and (2) get the word out so that those he was “elected to serve and protect” could make informed decisions. He did neither and for that I hold Reagan (and many others who came after him, in the Republican party) responsible for the increased rates of transmission. Remember, you brought the asshole up first; not I.

(And no, your English “ain’t so good” but that’s really not the point so don’t worry about it.)

People shoupd educate themselves n show a little responsibility for their own lives insteading numbly going along waiting for others to do the job.

The republican-controlled congress told the residents of Washington, DC, that they may not enact the resident-mandated needle exchange program.

So, yeah, it IS the republicans’ fault.

Maybe just keep it in your pants.

If 70% of people with HIV are over 40, that’s a much better thing than if you had 70% under 30 – because that would mean the disease would be spreading faster in younger people than it actually is – and they’re the ones most likely to pass it on to subsequent generations.

Right now the only effective way of ending the AIDS epidemic is to restrict transmission, so even 30% in under-40s is way too high IMO; we should be aiming for 0%. It would be good to see the figures for under-30s (i.e. those who, like me, came of age just after the height of the AIDS crisis) over the last decade.

I have never heard the phrase “overlapping sexual partners” before, and I am not entirely sure what that means. My guess would be that it means “not serially monogamous”.

dont’ EVEN try…

whoa. That’s a crazy stat. I thought the older generation would have a lower percentage rate because they lived though the AIDS crisis in the 80s.