Mltw's Weblog

Comments

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:11:25 +0000

It’s 05:09 a.m. E.S.T.

Somebody, anybody please comment on my BLOG!

I only have 2 comments (though I have made 3 comments on 3 different people’s blogs).

I hope we didn’t have to obtain/recieve 3 comments as well or I am doomed…see you all in Q-Class in 12 hours…I’ll just be getting up then.

Mary

Final Thoughts

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:53:53 +0000

As having a family member suffer from the disease AIDS, I hope that in some small way this blog will help to educate at least someone about the facts of this disease. I also hope that maybe in addition to educating someone, maybe someone will recognize the seriousness of this epidemic and see the urgent need to become a part of the solution. I hope that people will finally see the severity of AIDS, and that we can no longer push it under the carpet, or worry about it tomorrow. The facts are here and now, AIDS is the deadliest killer on the face of this earth, and soon will account for double the amount of deaths in half the time. I fear that one day this disease will truly take over the world, in every sense possible. I fear that too many people will not take this serious enough, or assume that “someone else will handle it”. We have spent far too long with that mindset, and we must change our way of thinking before it is too late and completely irreversible. As I have said earlier in my “Ongoing Posts” I do not know if I will be able to upkeep this blog. Honestly, most likely not. However, I will still be an active member in the fight agaisnt AIDS community.I learned from this project that that is the most important part in the fight against of AIDS. For example, I will continue to donate to charity and I will continue to inform people about the FACTS of AIDS, and help to try and educate the uneducated about the facts of AIDS. I will continue to ocassionaly search the web for updates in the AIDS community, soemthing that I would most liekly not have done (or even began) before Q-Class. PEACE….

Mary

Check Out Cheap Drugs

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:53:25 +0000

I just recently found a really interesting article. This article was a pretty good find, as it was really recent (Monday) and was actually good news, instead of about new virus mutations, and relatively new treatments becoming void, it was actually something good. I have consistently tried to be positive with the information that I have posted on my “Breaking News” section on purpose. I have done this to give others hope about this disease; to encourage them to fight and stand strong, and to not throw in the towel too early. But mostly, I do it for myself, to make myself stand strong and to see that there IS good in this world. Please check it out, it is under my “Breaking News” section and is actually pretty interesting. It is basically the director-general of WHO (World Health Organization) tell developed countries to produce cheaper drugs to sell to developing countries. Hopefully, this will work, and we can see and an increase in the standard of living in AIDS victims.

Cheap Drugs

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:48:31 +0000

Recently, World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan on Monday at a meeting of WHO’s Intergovernmental Working Group on public health in Geneva called on developed countries to make antiretroviral drugs and other medications more affordable for developing countries, the AP/Tacoma News Tribune reports. WHO’s 193 member states by the end of the week hope to develop a strategy on drug development, patenting and pricing, according to the AP/News Tribune. Chan at the meeting said she is aware that the “price of medicines and other products can be prohibitive, effectively blocking access to care,” but she added that innovation is needed. “Resistance develops and drugs fail, creating an urgent need for second- and third-line medicines,” Chan said, adding, “We have seen this problem most acutely with HIV/AIDS. We are seeing it again with the spread of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, which is far more costly and difficult to treat” (Klapper, AP/Tacoma News Tribune, 11/5). Chan said, “The challenge is to work on multiple fronts: to meet the immediate need for equitable access to quality, affordable medicines, while also, at the same time, working to stimulate innovation.” She added that the global health community “cannot allow the costs of health care to drive impoverished households even deeper into poverty.”

http://www.aids.org/

Personal Insights Updates

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:31:15 +0000

After spending countless hours working on my blog for Q-Class and my presentation tomorrow (well technically today) I have reached an epiphany. I would like to check out an update I made to an “Ongoing Post” titled “Personal Insights” which was really code for a rant and rave fest that I had one day earlier back when we first began this project. After searching and researching the web for AIDs information for so long, I now have a better idea how to search for information which has made my last few posts and much of my “Breaking News” section much easier to find and write/talk/blog about. I now feel confident with teh information I am finding, and am glad that I am now finally seeing results (even if it was at the very end).

Thinking About Leela

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:18:23 +0000

As I have been doing my research, I have been thinking alot about Leela and her blog. I urge you to check out hers, as well as the comment that I left her. Her blog, about achieving universal primary education has really hit me as I have doing more research. I really think that the underlying problem with the current AIDS epidemic is the LACK of education. There is no reason why in todays day and age that this disease should still be around, let alone growing (and as rapidly as it is). I simply do not understand with the technology that we have available to us, along with the knowledge, why are more people than ever still suffering from this disease. I really just started thinking really deeply about this and found that it really does truly hurt and sicken me. Thinking about this really disheartens me and really irritates me. I feel really hopeless when I think of all of this waste of technology, information and knowledge. I really hope that people start seeing the picture and start seeing it soon.

AIDS & The Holocaust

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:55:04 +0000

As I was searching the web for “Breaking News” I came across a very interesting article that dealt with something I have never even heard of before: AIDS Denial. At first, I was outraged. How could someone sit there and DENY a worldwide epidemic? How could someone ignore the death pandemic sweeping our world? How can you look past cold, hard, scientific facts? Second, after I calmed down, I began to get curious, and decide to research it a little further. I stumbled unto a few ideas why someone could possibly deny AIDS (even though this was not possible in my mind):

Perhaps the AIDS deniers are racist. Most of the lives lost to this nonsense were in Africa. The president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, was for years influenced by the AIDS deniers before adopting the scientific view. Maybe the AIDS deniers want to maximize the death toll in Africa.
Perhaps the AIDS deniers are homophobic. Their policies may be crafted to kill as many homosexuals as possible.
Perhaps the AIDS deniers are religious fundamentalists. They may believe that AIDS is God’s just punishment for recreational drug use, homosexual intercourse, illicit sex, etc., and scientists should not intervene in God’s plan.
Perhaps the AIDS deniers are hoaxers. They don’t really believe what they preach; they just want to see how many people they can fool, how many scientists they can irritate, and how many times they can get their names on the web.
Perhaps the AIDS deniers are eugenicists. They may be trying to improve humanity by ridding the planet of the most gullible people, the very folks who take their advice.

However, the website that I posted will provide a very useful tool to dispell any and (mostly) all myths about the existance (or rather, inexistance) of AIDS. I think that all people should take a look at it, and mostly, reconize what is being said in the way of denial. I think it is important to know both sides of the story or controversy, as well as any and all viewpoints that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/AIDS/

Organizations

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:35:40 +0000

The one good thing about choosing the topic or issue of AIDS is that there is alot a world citizen can do to help ease the destruction. I almost have had too much success. For example, there were so many helpful orgainzations to choose from, I had a hard time picking just a few to put in my “A Guide to Action” section. However, I do feel confident that the links I did provide are good, wholesome organizatons, worth your time of looking into and possibly donating (whether it is your time, money, or moral support). I urge every single one of you to check them out on your own, and decide for yourself, which are worthy of your help. If I did not include something that you feel that I should have, please do not take offense. There are so many worthwile organizations, it is truly almost impossible to pick just a few. Instead, comment a suggestion, or e-mail me a few ideas. Hope you check out the sites I provided, and more importantly, I really do hope that you consider donating and/or becoming involved in one (or more)!

Fight World AIDS

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:20:12 +0000

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people, with an estimated 38.6 million people living with HIV, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 3.1 million (between 2.8 and 3.6 million) lives in 2005 of which, more than half a million (570,000) were children.The concept of a World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention. Since then, it has been taken up by governments, international organizations and charities around the world.From its inception until 2004, UNAIDS spearheaded the World AIDS Day campaign, choosing annual themes in consultation with other global health organizations. In 2005 this responsibility was turned over to World AIDS Campaign (WAC), who chose Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise as the main theme for World AIDS Day observences through 2010, with more specific sub-taglines chosen annually. This theme is not specific to World AIDS Day, but is used year-round in WAC’s efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness within the context of other major global events including the G8 Summit. World AIDS Campaign also conducts “in-country” campaigns throughout the world, like the Student Stop AIDS Campaign, an infection-awareness campaign targeting young people throughout the world.It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995 the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar annoucements. Please consider participating and getting involved this December 1st to help combat world AIDS.

http://www.fightworldaids.org/home.php

It’s Called the “Baltimore Iniviative”

mltw — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:04:52 +0000

I just recently stumbled upon a goldmine. I was crusing the web looking for more “Breaking News” in the world of AIDS and stumbled on a bunch of very recent (today, yesterday, and the day before) articles dealing with AIDS. As I dug deeper I realized that all of these article were written by the two same authors, and were related. I found out that there is something in the works to combat AIDS in the Baltimore, Maryland region; and which they hope will spread to other regions within the United States. I was so excited to these articles. I included them in my “Breaking News” section, and I strongly urge you to check them out. This so-called “Baltimore Iniviative” is innovative and ground-breaking. Something that every American citizen should know about, and urge their own local goverment to initiate as well.