MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'equality'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:47:02 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984419&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQXF8ynXPiVM%2F By David BoazIn the Wall Street Journal today, Cato senior fellow Walter Olson praises the New York legislature both for passing a marriage equality bill and for including guarantees of religious freedom in the bill: For those of us who support same-sex marriage and also consider ourselves to be right of center, there were special reasons to take satisfaction in last Friday’s vote in Albany. New York expanded its marriage law not under court order but after deliberation by elected lawmakers with the signature of an elected governor. Of the key group of affluent New Yorkers said to have pushed the campaign for the bill, many self-identify as conservative or libertarian. A GOP-run state Senate gave the measure its approval…. To their credit, New York lawmakers devoted much attent... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984419 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:28:41 +0100 4984419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911455&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKqSbv2XRftU%2F By Caleb O. Brown On June 12, 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down bans on interracial marriage in more than a dozen states in the case of Loving v. Virginia. Today, the highest court in the United States may soon take on the issue of marriage equality for gay and lesbian relationships. Attorneys David Boies and Theodore B. Olson are hoping the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger will further establish marriage as a fundamental right of citizenship. Also featured are John Podesta, President of the Center for American Progress, Cato Institute Chairman Robert A. Levy and Cato Executive Vice President David Boaz. Watch the full event from which many clips were pulled here and Robert A. Levy’s presentation here. The Constitutional Case for Marriage Equality is a post from Cato @ Liberty ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911455 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:52:04 +0100 4911455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893412&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FhYNofFwwjrM%2F By George Scoville Few GOP presidential candidates have proposed specific budget cuts. “Peace is in the interest of Taiwan, China, and the U.S. … But the U.S. should view continuing arms sales to Taipei as perhaps the best means to maintain stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait.” Market liberalization has transformed newly independent states that formerly comprised Yugoslavia. President Obama is simply the new standard-bearer for the bipartisan contempt for constitutional limits on power. Cato chairman Robert A. Levy makes the libertarian case for marriage equality: Thursday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893412 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:08:11 +0100 4893412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841437&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLrWEFtQ-Q3Q%2F By George Scoville Next up for marriage equality: Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Please join us at 12:00 p.m. Eastern today as co-counsels for the plaintiffs Theodore Olson and John Boies join Center for American Progress president John Podesta and Cato chairman Robert A. Levy for a panel discussion on marriage equality, exploring legal and moral questions dating back to the landmark 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision that ended state bans on interracial marriage. If you cannot join us here at Cato, please tune in to watch a live stream of the event. “Republicans have an opportunity for a much more important debate, which will frame the election campaign next year.” In President Obama’s next speech, Cato director of foreign policy studies Christopher Preble hopes “that the ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841437 Wed, 18 May 2011 14:29:53 +0100 4841437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560249&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOrBan6QDHlc%2F By David BoazAt the Britannica Blog I write: Many commentators have seen a shift to the right in American politics over the past two years — the reaction to spending, bailouts, and Obamacare; the rise in conservative self-identification in polls; the 2010 elections. But there’s another trend going on as well. I described it in 2009 as a “civil liberties surge.” And this week there’s new evidence. A new study from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds long-term growth in support for legal abortion, gun rights, marijuana legalization, and gay marriage. The graphs on all these topics from Pew are pretty impressive, as is another one from the General Social Survey included in the Britannica post. I go on to note: These new poll results should be no surprise. Pa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560249 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:06:57 +0100 4560249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460011&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F10%2Fharvard-womens-law-association-conference%2F Panels Health & Equality There is a burgeoning awareness that access to health care is an equality issue.  With inadequate resources to access basic health services, women around the globe are impaired from functioning at the highest level.  At the same time, health disparities perpetuate other disparities, leaving women who lack these resources behind their counterparts elsewhere.  Women’s reproductive health needs make this question all the more stark.  Our panel brings together leading experts in legal and nonlegal fields, who have a holistic perspective on health that grounds legal answers in community-based approaches. Equality & Economics Economic inequality influences people’s choices and shapes their worldviews.  As such, it is necessary to continually interrogate ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460011 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 04:01:49 +0100 4460011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455307&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F09%2Fnegotiating-the-situation%2F Lu-in Wang,  has posted an intriguing situationist paper, titled “Negotiating the Situation: The Reasonable Person in Context ” (forthcoming Lewis & Clark Law Review, Vol. 14, p. 1285, 2010) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * This Essay argues that our understanding of the reasonable person in economic transactions should take into account an individual’s race, gender, or other group-based identity characteristics – not necessarily because persons differ on account of those characteristics, but because of how those characteristics influence the situations a person must negotiate. That is, individuals’ social identities constitute features not just of themselves, but also of the situations they inhabit. In economic transactions that involve social interac... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455307 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:12:00 +0100 4455307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414546&cid=t_91835_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fseven-slices-of-science-stuff.html from David Bradley Vuja de – Thinking outside the box with new eyes? Haven't we see this managerial psychobabble before or is it just vuja de? Alchemist Newsletter – An element close to every Alchemist's heart, quicksilver, or more properly mercury, featured in the chemistry news roundup this week, as does the creation of life from the primordial soup and how that may have begun. In the world of agrichemicals there is a possible sting in the tale for a relatively new class of pesticides, although no definitive evidence is yet available. In materials science tiny, but microscopic particles can undergo self-assembly it seems, while depressing news emerges from Europe regarding the lack of efficacy of an antidepressant drug marketed there. Finally, a new, free chemical... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414546 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 16:00:08 +0100 4414546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197035&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQKJVqmGzqko%2F This article originally appeared in the Washington Times in 2004 and was included in my book The Politics of Freedom. Things to Be Thankful For is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197035 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:21:20 +0100 4197035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025659&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F02%2Feven-monkeys-know-when-theyre-being-treated-unfairly%2F Discussion about (In)Equality,”“Inequality and the Unequal Situation of Mental and Physical Health, “The Situational Effects of (In)Equality,” “The Situational Consequences of Poverty on Brains,” “The Interior Situation of Intergenerational Poverty,” “Rich Brains, Poor Brains?,” “The Toll of Discrimination on Black Women,” “Miscalculating Welfare - Abstract” “Cheering for the Underdog,” “The Physical Pains of Discrimination,” and “The Cognitive Costs of Interracial Interactions.” (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025659 Sat, 02 Oct 2010 04:01:33 +0100 4025659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885313&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Frepublicans-are-hot-democrats-are-dogs-video-from-minnesota-gop%2F The Republican party of Minnesota has released a new web ad — a video of “hot” Republican women set to Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady,” followed by the supposedly dog-like women of the Democrat party, set to — what else —  Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out?” Women lawmakers from both parties have come out against the video, which was actually posted on the Republican Party of Minnesota’s homepage until yesterday morning. Thanks, Republican Party of Minnesota, for reducing intelligent women’s worth down to their looks. Truly a classy move. Make sure you watch the entire video — it gets even more ridiculous towards the end. Spoiler alert: Rosie O’Donnell’s head photoshopped onto the body of Khalid Sheikh Mohamme... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885313 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:10:02 +0100 3885313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880814&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgoing-topless-for-gender-equality-hmmm%2F This Saturday is the third annual “Go Topless” protest, an event organized in nine cities around the U.S. to reinforce gender equality. The logic goes that women should exercise their constitutional right to go topless in public, just like men do. Currently, women who go topless in public can be arrested and fined for doing so, but men have the right to bare arms, chest, stomach, and anything else above the belt without breaking the law. Question: Do you really want to be the female equivalent of those shirtless douche bags throwing frisbees in the park? If you do, you can participate in the following cities on this Saturday, August 22 (chosen because it precedes Women’s Equality Day, August 26th): New York City, New York Venice Beach, California Chicago, Illinois Miami Beac... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880814 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:10:02 +0100 3880814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3861986&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fjennifer-aniston-is-empowering-women-destroying-america%2F This is the face that is ruining America. photo: WENN.com Jennifer Aniston’s been busy promoting her new movie, The Switch, about a single woman using a sperm donor to have a child. Aniston said, “Women are realizing more and more that you don’t have to settle. They don’t have to fiddle with a man to have that child.” Yes, that’s right — Aniston said that women don’t need men to have a baby. How. Dare. She. Bill O’Reilly said on Tuesday that Aniston’s comments were “destructive to our society.” If women realize they don’t need men to have a baby, what else will they think they can do on their own? Drive a car? Run a business? We’re so lucky that Bill O’Reilly is brave enough to tell the truth, no matte... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3861986 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:28:27 +0100 3861986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750004&cid=t_91835_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F14%2Fjournal-of-the-american-medical-association-2010-vol-304-no-1%2F This article systematically reviews the accuracy of brief instruments for identifying patients with limited literacy. The article concludes that several single-item questions, including use of a surrogate reader and confidence with medical forms, were moderately effective for quickly identifying patients with limited literacy. An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online, alternatively contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals, Journals Tagged: Communication, Equality, Health Outcomes, Inequalities, Literacy, Social Inclusion, Social Inequality, United States (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750004 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:28:39 +0100 3750004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729845&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fmoronic-swedish-feminists-burn-13000-in-pointless-ceremony%2F photo: Thinkstock We know women get paid less than men in the workplace, and, yes — that totally sucks. But is it a reason to waste $13,000 that could have been donated to a worthwhile charitable nonprofit? Sweden’s feminist party burned $13,000 (donated by an advertising agency) to protest the amount of money women aren’t getting every minute compared to men. A powerful metaphor, to be sure, but there are plenty of women (and children) starving and struggling in the world. Why couldn’t that money have been donated to an organization that helps women in developing countries get an education or start a local business? While it’s less of a shock tactic, that would actually be helping the women’s equality movement, rather than just being an empty, wasteful gest... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729845 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:23:22 +0100 3729845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729846&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwhats-in-your-wallet-learnvest-ceo-alexa-von-tobel-shows-the-contents-of-her-money-bag%2F Keeping track of your cash, coins, and credit cards seems like something you should learn how to do in high school, but some of us still haven’t mastered the art of organizing our wallets. If you ever find yourself digging through crumpled receipts or wishing you hadn’t left certain cards at home, check out these tips from LearnVest. (And check out LearnVest’s original post for more details and a peek into Learnvest CEO Alexa von Tobel’s personal wallet.) What to keep in your wallet: Credit Card – LearnVest suggests having two credit cards in your name: One for regular use, another for emergency use only. Keep the emergency card tucked away at home, and keep the other in your wallet at all times. Cash – The key here is not too much, not too little. Between $25... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729846 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:22:14 +0100 3729846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718472&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F02%2Fa-discussion-about-inequality%2F The following (51 minute) video contains a worthwhile discussion from Agenda about how much inequality is too much. * * * Participants Include: Richard Wilkinson is co-author of The Spirit Level and Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School and honorary professor at University College London. He has played a formative role in international research and his work has been published in 10 languages. He studied economic history at the London School of Economics before training in epidemiology. William Watson is the Chair of the Economic Department at McGill University. Lane Kenworthy is a sociologist at the University of Arizona where he studies the causes and consequences of poverty, inequality, mobility, employment, economic growth, and social policy in the United St... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718472 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:01:23 +0100 3718472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710623&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fthe-situational-effects-of-inequality%2F Here is an intriguing (40-minute) interview with Richard Wilkinson co-author of the book The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger and co-founder of The Equality Trust. * * * * * * For a sample of related Stiuationist posts, see “The Situational Consequences of Poverty on Brains,” For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Inequality and the Unequal Situation of Mental and Physical Health,” “The Interior Situation of Intergenerational Poverty,” “Rich Brains, Poor Brains?,” “Jeffrey Sachs on the Situation of Global Poverty,” “The Situation of Financial Risk-Taking,” “The Situation of Standardized Test Scores,” “The Toll of Discrimination on Black Women,” “The Physical Pains of Discrimination,” “The D... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710623 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:16:48 +0100 3710623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652387&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fblue-suede-stilettos-meet-a-female-elvis-impersonator%2F photo via Salon Jaqueline Feilich is an Elvis tribute artist (a.k.a. impersonator). Yes, she’s a woman. No, she’s not a crossdresser. And yes, we mean that Elvis. She’s doing it all for the love of The King, even though she knows she won’t win any contests in the near future. Regardless, Feilich is about to compete in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest in Australia, even though some male competitors have a problem with her act. We love it. It’s kind of a perfect metaphor for women’s liberation, and it’s great to see a woman doing what she’s passionate about without even thinking about men. Well, she’s thinking about one man. And we’re pretty sure he’d give Feilich a big hip swivel of approval. via Salon Post from: BlissTree... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652387 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:45:42 +0100 3652387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533781&cid=t_91835_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F04%2Fjournal-of-the-american-medical-association-2010-vol-303-no-13%2F This article aims to determine whether performance on common outpatient quality measures differs by patient weight status. An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online Filed under: Current Awareness, E-Journals, Journals Tagged: Attitudes, Equality, Obesity, Quality (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533781 Tue, 04 May 2010 20:33:43 +0100 3533781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3404070&cid=t_91835_133_f&fid=35084&url=http%3A%2F%2Fballastexistenz.autistics.org%2F%3Fp%3D615 This post is for the disability blog carnival. If I could eliminate any single disability stereotype, I would sit there and try to figure out which one underlies the most others, and pick that one. If you are going to be given a tool that selective and narrow, it’s good to choose carefully by picking the one whose destruction would destroy the most others. And after observing for a time, I have concluded that the stereotype that I would most want to eliminate is the one that says disabled people are not real or whole people. If we were real people, killing us would be bad, and killing ourselves would be unfortunate rather than something people build special laws to enable. If we were real people, the world would be designed in a way that allowed us to move through it without extra... Ballastexistenz blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3404070 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:44:10 +0100 3404070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403844&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2FZCDfBbsuRbw%2Fbioethicists-weigh-in-on-healthcare_22.html As the readers of this blog know, both myself and several of our bloggers have posted about universal health care coverage many, many times as an ethical and moral imperative. In the last year, my hopes (along with many other bioethicists, I'm sure ) of attaining universal coverage have gone up, down and sideways, like a roller-coaster ride, exhilarating and frightening, with emotions ranging from inspiration to resignation.   Now that the US House of Representative has finally passed a health reform bill, I've requested several bioethicists (and friends of the WBP) to share their thoughts on the ethical implications of the passage of this bill: Art Caplan of UPenn:  "The passage of this bill, flaws and all, represents the elimination of the single greatest failure in Americ... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403844 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:13:03 +0100 3403844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395086&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2FZCDfBbsuRbw%2Fbioethicists-weigh-in-on-healthcare_22.html As the readers of this blog know, both myself and several of our bloggers have posted about universal health care coverage many, many times as an ethical and moral imperative. In the last year, my hopes (along with many other bioethicists, I'm sure ) of attaining universal coverage have gone up, down and sideways, like a roller-coaster ride, exhilarating and frightening, with emotions ranging from inspiration to resignation.   Now that the US House of Representative has finally passed a health reform bill, I've requested several bioethicists (and friends of the WBP) to share their thoughts on the ethical implications of the passage of this bill: Art Caplan of UPenn:  "The passage of this bill, flaws and all, represents the elimination of the single greatest failure in Americ... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395086 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:50:59 +0100 3395086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3115036&cid=t_91835_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F23%2Fage-equality-in-health-and-social-care-2%2F Title: Age equality in health and social care Skinny: Review of age discrimination and age equality in the health and social care sector.  Analyses evidence about the nature, extent and variability of age discrimination in health and social care services. Considers reforms are already in train to tackle age discrimination and support greater age equality.  This has led to the current consultation Age equality in health and social care: a consultation on preparing the NHS and social care in England for the age requirements in the Equality Bill that affect the provision of services and exercise of public functions. Publisher: DH Size of Publication: 63p. Published: 22/10/2009 Posted in Equity, Grey Literature, Health Needs, Inequalities in Health, Local Authorities, NHS, Public Sector, Soc... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3115036 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:30:17 +0100 3115036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056638&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.euro.who.int%2FDocument%2FE88086.pdf The following post by Karen Nielsen, President of Nielsen & Associates, LLC, is part of Disruptive Women’s “The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World” series. Karen Nielsen has worked in the health care field for over 20 years, predominately focused on collaborative efforts between private and public organizations. Ms. Nielsen consults with industry and non-government organizations (NGOs) to identify and enable public health-centered solutions. A young girl in Africa awakens early to fetch water for her families’ daily needs. She will need to make multiple trips, carrying the largest volume possible to shorten the task. This daily ritual can take 3 hours or more. For these young girls there will be no school, basic necessities of life a... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056638 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:15:53 +0100 3056638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796844&cid=t_91835_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FjouiopEAzuk%2F As I was stood in the rather long line trying to check out of the Wynn Encore in Vegas I was getting a tad frustrated. Our plane was due to leave in just over an hour and there must have been at least 50 people either trying to check-in or check out. The perils of Vegas on a Friday lunch time I guess. One of the Encore staff was ensuring people were in the right line and asked the guy in front of me if he was checking out. He replied he wasn’t, but he was a VIP and as such could check in where ever he wanted. The staff member gently encouraged the guy to move lines, but he steadfastly refused even though he wasn’t at the front. Rather than tell the guy he was acting like an ass, the pristine besuited employee diplomatically slid away to talk to some guests that were prepared to take hi... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796844 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:38:22 +0100 2796844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306805&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fequal-division-of-parenting-labor%2F Recently the media spotlight has focused on the issue of breastfeeding and gender equality, with some women lamenting the responsibility of breastfeeding a child (personally I consider it a privilege and hardly worth debating). A March 2009 statement for the Commission on the Status of Women addresses the issue eloquently. “Breastfeeding and the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men” is a joint statement of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, the International Lactation Consultant Association, La Leche League International, and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action. It frames and answers the gender quality question: As people increasingly strive for gender equality, the list of gender-linked tasks and responsibilities, which once were assigned to men ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306805 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:47:29 +0100 2306805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1865399&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2Fgirl-with-half-brain-thriving.html Adherents to the "quality of life ethic" and those of a utilitarian mindset would have been quite content to see the little girl who is the subject of this story die, rather than live with the cognitive and developmental impairments caused by having half her brain surgically removed. Thankfully, her parents didn't see Keeley as being any less worthy of life because she would have profound cognitive and developmental impairments. From the story: Just like lots of children her age, little Keeley Green is a bright and mischievous, loves music and playing tricks but she is not like other kids. She has only half a brain.Keeley, 5, was forced to have surgery to remove the left side of her brain when she was only 16 months old, the victim of a rare neurological condition that was causing uncontro... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1865399 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:20:00 +0100 1865399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1850976&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F03%2Fmental-health-equality-finally%2F Since the 1990s, legislators in Congress have been pursuing the end of discrimination for people with mental illness by health insurance companies and employers. Even after they passed historic legislation (at the time) in 1996 to end this discrimination, health insurance companies found ways to subvert the intent of the bill and still discriminate against the people they covered if they had a mental health issue. On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the $700 billion bailout bill (263 to 171), which included the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. This Act (which we reported on earlier), a compromise that’s been years in the making, mandates that all employers with more than 50 employees offer mental health coverag... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1850976 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:10:47 +0100 1850976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1848002&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D935 Discussion of Medicare policy to date has focused generally on the role of private plans in Medicare, ways to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and system-wide changes to reduce health care costs overall, such as adopting electronic medical records, increasing preventive care, and improving chronic care delivery. However, the direction and pace of reform will be significantly affected by the election outcome. The future direction of the program appears to be governed by differences in ideology, particularly the role of government versus the role of the private sector. The broad visions of how Medicare should be designed in the future and how Medicare benefits should be provided will inform the policy choices made by Congress and the administration over the next four years. Therefore it... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1848002 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:10:00 +0100 1848002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844823&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D932 The Medicaid Challenge (Part I) niko karvounis, October 01, 2008 , , , all the benefits don’t mean a thing if patients can’t find doctors to provide them. In a post last November, I noted that reimbursement rates for Medicaid are abysmally low across the nation as compared to both private insurance and Medicare: in New York, doctors receive $20 for an hour-long consultation with Medicaid patients, whereas a physician could earn almost $200—about 10 times as much—for such a consultation under Medicare. In 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported that Michigan’s Medicaid program pays $20 for a chest x-ray, where as Medicare pays $30 and private insurer Blue Cross, $33. For performing an appendectomy, a Michigan doctor can expect $784 from Blue Cross and just $336—about 42 percent ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844823 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:35:06 +0100 1844823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844824&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D931 Required Reading: The Value of ID Specialists Posted by Paul Sax on September 29th, 2008 In the most recent issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, there’s a comprehensive review of the value of an ID specialist from the perspective of non-patient care activities. Covered in particular are: • Antibiotic stewardship • Infection control • Monitoring rates of nosocomial infections • Managing health care worker “well-being and exposures” Also included are tables listing dozens of studies quantifying the value of these activities. It’s an impressive paper, running 12 pages long and including over a hundred references. What might be most useful, however, is a section entitled, “Putting the Data to Use Effectively in a Negotiation.” Here, in best Business School 101-e... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844824 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:40:44 +0100 1844824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844825&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D930 ‘A Lot of Unknowns’ By Jessica Bennett | 9-18-08 | Medical advances are helping many HIV patients live into old age. But that blessing presents its own unique set of tribulations. Newsweek Web Exclusive . . . Researchers know that HIV and age make for a complicated balancing act—a convoluted interplay of the disease itself, natural aging symptoms and the side effects of antiretroviral medication that may enhance those symptoms. Part of the aging process is already about a loss of immunity. So the fact that HIV is an immune disease may be one reason why its sufferers tend to age fast, in everything from body changes to cardiovascular disease, says Dr. Richard Havlik, an epidemiologist and former chief of the epidemiology, demography and biometry laboratory at the National Institute ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844825 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:56:02 +0100 1844825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844826&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D929 reason tv: raiding california — medical marijuana and minors UPDATE: On August 5, 2008 Charlie Lynch was found guilty on all five counts. Sentencing is scheduled for October 20, 2008. For reason.tv’s coverage of the trial (including an on-camera interview with the jury foreperson), go here, here, and here. Protest Rally for 10/6 will start will begin at 11am. The courthouse is located at 312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles. Protesters are encouraged to bring acoustic instruments to the rally check to see further details here. For public transit information, click here For more information, visit Friends of Charles C. Lynch. For information on how to contact your elected officials, please go here or here. (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844826 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:23:36 +0100 1844826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844827&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D928 I wanted to thank you for showing interest in Charles Lynch’s federal cannabis case. I’m doing everything to get the word out about this travesty and to get people involved. Charles Lynch was convicted of 5 cannabis-only offenses in Federal court 2 weeks ago and faces up to 100 years in federal prison for operating a medical marijuana dispensary even though his dispensary followed all his business license requirements, city regulations, county restrictions and state laws. This grave injustice happened because cannabis is a schedule one drug under federal law. The jury was forbidden to hear any evidence about medical marijuana or state law and was instructed to come to a verdict solely on Federal law. I first heard about Charles Lynch on Drew Carey’s ReasonTV piece. It&#... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844827 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:45:32 +0100 1844827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1844828&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D927 “Turpentine’s a hard line! huh!” And so, with music and magic, the world premiere of “Turpentine Jake,” staged at Loyola Marymount’s Del Rey Theatre, takes off on a smart flight of legendary scope and impact, a skillfully-crafted historical drama of character and social justice that doesn’t depend on a car-chase mentality for suspense. To the contrary, the soaring use of language in gem-like self-narratives, poetry and songs, accentuates the action. Set in the”debt peonage” system of the Florida Turpentine camps in 1937, the story is dramatized by the grandson of one of those workers, James E. Hurd Jr. (who also co-directs with Jim Holmes and stars as Jake) and writing partner and producer Linda Bannister, who together conducted extensive reasearch and interview... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844828 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:40:35 +0100 1844828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837313&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D926 Understanding the Issues: The Candidates on HIV/AIDS Todd Heywood on September 29, 2008 - 8:00am Todd Heywood’s blog While both candidates for president have made statements that they want to combat HIV/AIDS, a comparison of the voting records, public statements and other actions shows John McCain has very few specifics to address the crisis and has a history of supporting legislation that damages and impedes the process of addressing the HIV epidemic in America. First, here are what Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively, have said about the HIV/AIDS crisis in general statements: “We are all sick because of AIDS - and we are all tested by this crisis. It is a test not only of our willingness to respond, but of our ability to look past the artificial divisions and deb... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837313 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:47:12 +0100 1837313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837314&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D925 youtube: “Bosnia Homo Festival Attacked by Poofter Bashers” chers— completely astonishing. namasté —rk (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837314 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:20:38 +0100 1837314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837316&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D923 Transgendered Woman Wins Sex Discrimination Case In Potentially Groundbreaking Case, Court Finds Sex Discrimination Law Applies to Transgendered Woman By JEFFREY DIAMOND Sept. 19, 2008 diana schroer A transgendered woman, who lost a job offer because of her sexual status, has won a potentially groundbreaking federal sex discrimination lawsuit. A federal district court judge in Washington, D.C., ruled today that the Library of Congress discriminated against Diane Schroer when it offered her a job and then rescinded it after learning she was transgendered. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Schroer, said Judge James Robertson’s ruling is the first to hold that the federal sex discrimination statute, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, applies to transgen... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837316 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:45:30 +0100 1837316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837317&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D922 from www.stickam.com text of graphic: yo hemphead! look what you washed by not checking your pockets! let’s hope the seal was tight enough not to let much water in! may i suggest you lay it out somewhere safe to dry! love, mom p.s. where’s my clear tape? (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837317 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:25:54 +0100 1837317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1834760&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D920 global oneness project 17-min video: south african soccer activist teaches HIV/AIDS prevention (973) “poverty cannot conquer you for the rest of your life. you can conquer poverty as well.” — Nolusindiso “Titie” Plaatjie today is napwa’s first national gay men’s HIV/AIDS awareness day (ngmhaad 9-27) (972) sean strub at POZ: renewing the denver principles (971) The [1983] Denver Principles expressed a fundamental truth: to be successful, the fight against the [AIDS] epidemic must include—as equal partners in the battle—the people who have the disease. . . . From the earliest days of the epidemic, we have had to fight horrific stigma against those who hate or fear us. But when they would not allow us to hold their children, work at their side, touch their dishes, ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1834760 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:26:08 +0100 1834760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833299&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D919 chers— this may or may not be a technological leap for aids-write: i am attempting to imbed a powerful and remarkable 17:20 video documentary titled “a game for life,” interviewing grassroot soccer activist “titie” plaatjie. if it doesn’t work, take the link to the global oneness project and grab a box of facial tissues (not that we’d ever call them kleenex®). have transcribed several sections below. the whole account is a remarkable metaphor. i feel like the seaview heading for the bottom again, all my computer lights twinkling and sparking. where was david heddison when you really needed him? hope it works. namasté A Game for Life Grassroot Soccer project coordinator, Nolusindiso “Titie” Plaatjie, uses soccer to educate South African youth about HIV... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833299 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:38:22 +0100 1833299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833300&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D918 NAPWA LAUNCHES THE FIRST ANNUAL NATIONAL GAY MEN’S HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY On September 27, 2008 NAPWA will launch the first National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD). NGMHAAD is a new idea designed to refocus attention on a community that has long been affected by the HIV epidemic here in the United States and abroad. It is a call to action that comes at time of heightened complacency about HIV among gay men. Yet the nation faces a resurgence of new HIV infections among gay men. Throughout the year, community based organizations (CBOs), health departments, faith based organizations, corporations, labor organizations, elected officials and other individual and collective stakeholders participate in national HIV/AIDS Awareness Days. These days raise awareness about H... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833300 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:56:04 +0100 1833300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833301&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D917 Renewing the Denver Principles by Sean Strub September 22, 2008 Sean Strub, POZ’s founder and advisory editor, advocates for a renewed commitment to the empowerment of people with HIV/AIDS during remarks at the 2008 United States Conference on AIDS. In 1983, 25 years ago this past summer, a small group of people with AIDS met at a gay-health conference in Denver, Colorado, and wrote a document now known as the Denver Principles. Written at a time of great social fear and political hysteria, the Denver Principles spells out the rights and responsibilities of people with AIDS. Back then, the average survival between diagnosis and death was mere months; many died within weeks or days. Despite that terrible prognosis, this handful of people with AIDS asserted an identity for those wh... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833301 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 05:44:12 +0100 1833301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833302&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D916 Publish Your Presidential Election Coverage Through HuffPost’s OffTheBus Marc Cooper Posted September 23, 2008 | 11:52 AM (EST) As Campaign ‘08 comes to a dramatic close are you as bored, frustrated and often outraged as we are about the blizzard of totally predictable media bloviating that seems to blanket us 24/7? Then help fight back by enlisting in the growing army of HuffPost’s OffTheBus citizen reporters. After you sign up for our Special Ops reporting team, we’ll be issuing weekly assignments targeted at your local communities. Our ranks are open to everyone, everywhere, but we’re especially interested in those living in battleground states who can regularly report. And those who are adventurous, curious, and passionate about communicating their obser... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833302 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 05:29:16 +0100 1833302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833303&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D915 SA joy at demise of ‘Dr Beetroot’ South African Aids campaigners have serenaded the new health minister and rejoiced at the departure of her controversial predecessor. Friday, 26 September 2008 A group of activists sang outside the Cape Town flat of Barbara Hogan and drank champagne with her. They have long called for the dismissal of Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, known as “Dr Beetroot” for her advocacy of healthy eating rather than drugs. Some 5.5 million South Africans are HIV-positive. This is more than in any other country in the world. ‘Ecstatic’ The government of former President Thabo Mbeki has long been criticised for not doing enough to distribute the anti-retroviral drugs that scientists say are the most effective way of combating Aids. ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833303 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:12:31 +0100 1833303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833304&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D914 Discussion Papers HIV and Imprisonment Project UNSHACKLE (Uniting a Network on Sentencing and HIV/AIDS with Community Knowledge Leading our Efforts) is made up of formerly imprisoned people, grassroots leaders, researchers, HIV policy advocates, prison reform and social justice organizers, coalition-building veterans and other allies working together to bridge the nexus between HIV and mass imprisonment. It’s no coincidence that the communities most impacted by mass imprisonment (especially in urban areas and the Southern states) also have the highest rates of HIV infection in the country. Confronting the nexus between HIV and mass imprisonment is important to anyone interested in a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy. What We Already Know • At any given time, about 25% of al... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833304 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:24:46 +0100 1833304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833305&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D913 National AIDS Strategy ELECTION 2008: THE AIDS VOTE COUNTS! A non-partisan voter registration & get-out-the-vote toolkit Communities with low voting rates – including people of color and low-income communities — are also disproportionately affected by HIV. We can change this! HIV/AIDS organizations, including non-profit organizations, can legally register and turn out voters for elections. This is a non-partisan and simple activity that any organization can do! It is critically important to make sure the voices of people impacted by HIV are heard this election year. On behalf of the Campaign for a National AIDS Strategy, CHAMP helped create this basic Voter Registration / Get Out The Vote toolkit that any organization can use to help your staff, clients, and community... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833305 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:15:17 +0100 1833305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826361&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F09%2F25%2Fmerchants-of-discontent-abstract%2F Tamara Piety has posted her lastest article, “‘Merchants of Discontent’: An Exploration of the Psychology of Advertising, Addiction and the Implications for Commercial Speech” (25 Seattle University Law Review 377 (2001) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * The commercial speech doctrine allows the government to regulate commercial speech so as to prevent advertising that is false or deceptive while forbidding suppression of truthful commercial information that is based on nothing more than misplaced paternalism. However, this limitation is largely illusory in the realm of traditional advertising because the processes by which advertisers convey their messages employs means such as pictures, symbols, and music, making it virtually impossible to try to test su... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826361 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:08:17 +0100 1826361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815400&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D912 Californians Against Hate (cah) was established to draw attention to the major donors to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. These contributors are spending tens of millions of dollars to amend the California Constitution to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. If our opponents want to end equality for gays and lesbians, then we will fight back. We will let the world know who these donors are, and then our millions of friends and allies can decide if they want to support their businesses or not. Together, we must stand for equality—and against hate. OUR CAMPAIGNS DontBuyBolthouse.com BoycottManchesterHotels.com CallTerryCaster.com MARRIAGE EQUALITY LINKS Vote No on Prop 8, Equality for All Equality California Love, Honor, Cherish Center Advocacy Project Human Rights Cam... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815400 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:43:18 +0100 1815400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815401&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D911 A version of this article appeared in print on September 19, 2008, on page A19 of the New York Times. Blocking Care for Women By HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON and CECILE RICHARDS Published: September 18, 2008 LAST month, the Bush administration launched the latest salvo in its eight-year campaign to undermine women’s rights and women’s health by placing ideology ahead of science: a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would govern family planning. It would require that any health care entity that receives federal financing — whether it’s a physician in private practice, a hospital or a state government — certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable. Laws that have been on... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815401 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:17:16 +0100 1815401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806367&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D910 chers— found out incidentally on the internet that september 18 marks 1st annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD) (960) read the following poem monday night at weho city council meeting and wednesday morning to the la city council meeting. well-received both places, and bill rosendahl in particular liked it a ton. he’s putting a framed copy up in his office. sorta dovetails nicely with the event but i was just gonna read it anyway. now there’s a news story anchor. DATELINE: Los Angeles, September 18, 2008. am hoping to get around and read a lot more over the next months. this piece will also be published in the denver SIN (strength in numbers) newsletter as well as on aids-write.org. namasté —rk i miss kissing a lot i miss russ i miss jeff i miss t... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806367 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:12:11 +0100 1806367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806368&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D909 Where’s Our National Campaign Against Homophobia? from CHAMP’s HHS watch By Walt Senterfitt The long-delayed release of the CDC’s new HIV incidence estimates for the United States coincided with the opening of the International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Mexico City. These two events had one striking common theme: gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are the core of the epidemic in the US and in many other parts of the world and must be at the core of the response in order to end AIDS. The majority of new HIV infections (more than 57%) are among gay, bisexual and other MSM. [See below about terminology] Gay men are 10 to 30 times more likely to get HIV than are heterosexual men and the population at large, in the US and worldwide. The resources d... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806368 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:15:52 +0100 1806368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806369&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D908 Physician’s Statement Regarding Medical Cannabis as per California Health & Safety Code 11362.5 To Whom It May Concern: this statement certifies that ___________________________________________ (patient) is a patient under my care and supervision for the treatment of ___________________________________________ (diagnosis) ____ (optional; please check if applicable) I decline to state my patient’s diagnosis to protect his or her confidentiality I have discussed the benefits and risks of cannabis use with my patient as a treatment for his or her condition. I recommend or approve cannabis use for my patient. If my patient chooses to use cannabis therapeutically, I will continue to monitor his or her condition and provide feedback on his or her progress. I understand that I wil... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806369 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:51:17 +0100 1806369 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806370&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D907 How U.S. Health Care Mirrors the Contradictions Ingrained in the Minds and Souls of America’s Citizens Posted by Maggie Mahar on September 17, 2008 Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt is well known as one of the bluntest—and wittiest—critics of U.S. Healthcare. Last week, we both spoke at a conference organized by Princeton’s Policy Research Institute on “Access to Universal Health Care: New Jersey, the Nation and the Globe. As usual, I learned something from Professor Reinhardt. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Earlier this year, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine received a somewhat startling letter from Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt. The missive was appended to a report from the “New Jersey Commission on Rationalizing Health Care Resources,” a Commission that Corzi... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806370 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:42:28 +0100 1806370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798240&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D906 THE AIDS INSTITUTE LAUNCHES NATIONAL HIV/AIDS AND AGING AWARENESS DAY DURING THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE ON AIDS 2008 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL Washington, DC – September 18, 2008 marks the launch of a new national awareness initiative of The AIDS Institute entitled National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). This national campaign will highlight the complex issues related to HIV prevention, care and treatment for aging populations in the United States. It is the goal of the campaign to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS. There are important groups that will be highlighted in this work: (1) the growing number of people living with HIV and AIDS who are aging with the dise... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798240 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:08:22 +0100 1798240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794303&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2Fwill-saletan-on-our-bionic-elders.html Slate's Will Saletan is an interesting (and sometimes maddening) writer who writes about the raging bioethics/biotech debates from a uniquely oblique angle that often exposes the surrealism of modern times. Case in point, an op/ed piece in yesterday's Washington Post. He begins:Twenty-four years ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in "The Terminator," a movie about a cyborg--part man, part machine--sent back in time from the year 2029. He was young and buff, and the movie became his shtick...Today, Schwarzenegger is 61, and the joke's on him. The cyborgs have arrived, and he's one of them. He has had a hip and two heart valves replaced, plus a femur repaired with screws, cables and a metal plate. "This is what happens when you are the Terminator," he quipped. "They switch body parts."In rea... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794303 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:21:00 +0100 1794303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794468&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D902 Stand Against AIDS - September 23-26 Oxford, Mississippi Starting this week, caravans will travel different routes across the country to Mississippi to demand a that our next President, John McCain or Barack Obama, develop a national plan to end the HIV & AIDS epidemic. Through almost thirty years of enduring a disease that is both preventable and treatable, we have not enough to either prevent or treat a disease that has claimed almost a million lives domestically. Infection rates are on the rise and life-saving care and treatment aren’t available to everyone who needs them. We must demand accountability from our country’s elected, religious, civic, and social leaders to take a stand against homophobia, stigma, discrimination, and ignorance. We also must demand accountab... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794468 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:46:40 +0100 1794468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791570&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2Ftriumphs-and-tribulations-of-rasing.html The Washington Post has a sobering front page story about what it is like to raise a Down child: Credit the selection of Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential candidate for the interest shown. I was heartened by some of what I read, and very much appalled. From the story:But the parents of children who have Down syndrome say that raising a child with a disability can also unlock profound and uplifting truths about themselves, their children and the value of life in ways that others could never see..."People keep asking me, 'So what do you think?' I keep saying, 'What is it exactly you want my opinion about?' '' Pedlikin said. "People are paying much more attention to us. . . . Before, kids would stare, but not adults. Everybody's curious: 'What's it like to have a kid with Down syndrome?' "For ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791570 Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:27:00 +0100 1791570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1785806&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2Fwhy-we-urgently-need-to-change-cultures.html This is an awful story, but I think it is relevant to the underlying cultural struggle about people with disabilities reflected in the brouhaha set off by the Palins' embrace of their son, Trig. In the UK, a mother is charged with murdering her 4-year-old daughter because she was "embarrassed" by the child's disability. From the story:Joanne Hill, 32, planned the murder after her husband refused to allow their daughter, Naomi, to be adopted, it was alleged. A jury heard how Mrs Hill struggled to cope caring for the youngster, who suffered with cerebral palsy. She wore callipers to help her walk and had poor hearing.Opening the case for the prosecution Michael Chambers QC told Chester Crown Court that Mrs Hill was "ashamed and embarrassed" of her daughter's condition and murdered her in a "... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1785806 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:22:00 +0100 1785806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773267&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D901 Marijuana Ingredient May Fight Bacteria By HENRY FOUNTAIN Published: September 5, 2008 Marijuana may be something of a wonder drug — though perhaps not in the way you might think. Researchers in Italy and Britain have found that the main active ingredient in marijuana — tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — and related compounds show promise as antibacterial agents, particularly against microbial strains that are already resistant to several classes of drugs. It has been known for decades that Cannabis sativa has antibacterial properties. Experiments in the 1950s tested various marijuana preparations against skin and other infections, but researchers at the time had little understanding of marijuana’s chemical makeup. The current research, by Giovanni Appendino of the University of ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773267 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:57:25 +0100 1773267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773268&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D900 chers— two posts here: an excerpt from s.j. komarnitsky’s article in the boston herald, and the text of ann kilkenny’s 2400-word letter after that. i first ran across it at gooznews namasté —rk Wasilla woman’s e-mail offering firsthand critique of Palin becomes Internet sensation By S.J. Komarnitsky / McClatchy Newspapers / [boston herald] Sunday, September 7, 2008 WASILLA, Alaska - At 3 a.m. Thursday, Anne Kilkenny unglued herself from her computer and went to bed after spending hours answering an endless string of e-mails from strangers. By 9:15 the next morning, she had 382 fresh ones in her inbox and her phone was steadily ringing with calls from news media from all around the world. That’s how it’s been the past week for the Wasilla stay-at-home mom tur... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773268 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:57:20 +0100 1773268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770634&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D897 California doctors may be required to explain end-of-life rights to patients The state Senate passes a measure that calls on physicians to provide terminal patients with all options at the time of diagnosis. By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 21, 2008 SACRAMENTO — Doctors who diagnose people with terminal illnesses would be required to immediately tell them about the right to refuse or withdraw from life-sustaining treatment under a measure approved Wednesday by state lawmakers. The proposal, which divided the medical community, was narrowly approved on the same day the Legislature passed a bid to ban employers from taking action against workers who legally use marijuana for medical purposes. The right-to-die legislation would require a doctor at the time... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770634 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:23:18 +0100 1770634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770635&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D896 Kaisernetwork | Opinion | Marginalized Populations Should Be Focus of HIV Prevention Efforts, Opinion Piece Says [Aug 28, 2008] Although the U.S. has “relatively abundant resources available to those living with HIV,” socioeconomic gaps continue to lead to higher rates of the virus among marginalized groups in the country, Christine Jolly, president of AIDS Care Service, writes in a Winston-Salem Journal opinion piece. Jolly for the past eight years has worked for an HIV/AIDS service organization and writes that she has seen her clients “struggling daily to live simultaneously with HIV and poverty.” Following a trip earlier this month to the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Jolly writes that the devastating toll of HIV worldwide has forced &#... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770635 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:12:36 +0100 1770635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770636&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D895 3rd Annual LA County Medical Marijuana Exposition & Patient Festival September 20, 2008 All Day… 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM West Hollywood Park Auditorium 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood (Between Sunset Blvd. and Melrose Ave.) Tickets are just $5 at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds Please join us for the 3rd Annual Los Angeles County Medical Marijuana Exposition and Patients’ Rally a full day of music, special guest speakers, medical cannabis exhibitors, entertainment, celebration, and fun for everyone! Don’t miss California’s largest medical cannabis exposition Mark your calendar today and check back here for updates! West Hollywood Mayor J r Jeffery Prang Former CA Assemblyman Paul Koretz Americans for Safe Access (ASA) CA Di... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770636 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:58:07 +0100 1770636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770637&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D894 7TH ANNUAL WEST HOLLYWOOD BOOK FAIR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 10AM to 6PM West Hollywood Park 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. Cost - FREE! Map to the Event - Click here. 400+ AUTHORS & ARTISTS Literary legends, celebrity guests, poets, storytellers and LA authors 100+ PANELS & BOOK SIGNINGS Mystery, entertainment, politics, memoir, comics, fiction, LGBT, food and multi-cultural 3 LIVE PERFORMANCE STAGES Theatre, poetry performances, storytelling, readings and poetry readings CHILDREN’S AREA Kids’ Stage with storytelling, children’s authors and performances. Arts, crafts, games hosted by exhibitors 125+ EXHIBITORS Independent book stores, small presses, authors, literary groups COMICS SCENE! AUTHOR ROW WEST HOLLYWOOD WRITES WRITING WORKSHOPS AND OVER 25,000 FELLOW READ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770637 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:38:16 +0100 1770637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750272&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D893 This report also demonstrates the need for more timely data about HIV transmission so that we can effectively evaluate prevention efforts. Combating HIV/AIDS also demands closing the gaps in opportunity that exist in our society so that we can strengthen our public health. We must also overcome the stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS - a stigma that is too often tied to homophobia. We need to encourage folks to get tested and accelerate HIV/AIDS research toward an effective cure because we have a moral obligation to join together to meet this challenge, and to do so with the urgency this epidemic demands.” - Statement on the CDC’s HIV/AIDS Report, August 3, 2008 • “I’ll work to dispel the stigma surrounding this disease, which is what Michelle and I tried to do by tak... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750272 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:45:46 +0100 1750272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750273&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D892 H.I.V. Is Spreading in New York City at Three Times the National Rate, a Study Finds By SEWELL CHAN August 28, 2008 The virus that causes AIDS is spreading in New York City at three times the national rate — an incidence of 72 new infections for every 100,000 people, compared with 23 per 100,000 nationally — according to a study released on Wednesday by the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The findings, based on a new formula developed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimated that 4,762 New Yorkers contracted H.I.V. in 2006, the most precise estimate the city had ever offered. But the city stressed that because the method of estimating infections was new, it could not be said definitively whether the number of new infections in the city... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750273 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:01:18 +0100 1750273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742818&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D891 The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn Our love for telling tales reveals the workings of the mind September, 2008 By Jeremy Hsu Key Concepts • Storytelling is a human universal, and common themes appear in tales throughout history and all over the the world. • These characteristics of stories, and our natural affinity toward them, reveal clues about our evolutionary history and the roots of emotion and empathy in the mind. • By studying narrative’s power to influence beliefs, researchers are discovering how we analyze information and accept new ideas. When Brad Pitt tells Eric Bana in the 2004 film Troy that “there are no pacts between lions and men,” he is not reciting a clever line from the pen of a Hollywood screenwriter. He is speaking Achilles’ word... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742818 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:01:44 +0100 1742818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742819&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D890 Hi All… TLGLA has been accepted into the Ralph’s Community Program! We will now get points which equal $$$$ each time one of our supporters swipes their Ralph’s card or enters their phone number!!!! It’s easy to register… and costs nothing!!! Our NPO number is 90829. • Simply register online at www.ralphs.com , click on community contributions then click on participants. • Be sure to have your Ralph’s Club Card(s) available and register their card with your organization by following the easy online directions. • If you do not have a Ralph’s Club Card, please know that they are available at the customer service desk at any Ralph’s. • Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-660-9003 to get your Club Card number. • Members must swipe their... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742819 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:37:28 +0100 1742819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742820&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D889 AIDS Crisis In Communities Of Color Prompts Demand For National Plan To Fight HIV/AIDS 29 Aug 2008 In a historically unprecedented move, over 30 national HIV/AIDS organizations and leaders representing African-American, Latino, Native American/Alaska Native, and Asian & Pacific Islander communities have joined forces in an urgent call for the development and implementation of a comprehensive national AIDS strategy. The demands to the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees come in response to long-standing concerns about unmet needs for targeted HIV research, treatment access, medical care and prevention in communities of color. A recently-released report from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on estimates of new HIV infections in the United States am... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742820 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:12:48 +0100 1742820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742821&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D888 Bill Clinton and Other Leaders Call For ‘Renewal of Battle Against AIDS’ in the United States at Democratic Convention Advocates disappointed that Obama failed to address the issue wall street journal marketwatch Last update: 1:41 p.m. EDT Aug. 29, 2008 DENVER, Aug 29, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Speaking at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, Former President Bill Clinton called for a reinvigorated response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. In praising Presidential nominee Barack Obama, Clinton said, “He will continue and enhance our nation’s commendable global leadership in an area in which I am deeply involved: the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, including — and this is very important... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742821 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:58:29 +0100 1742821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742822&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D887 On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You’re Not by Dr. Ginger Campbell Aug 18th, 2008 Where does our “Feeling of Knowing” come from? Have you ever felt certain that you knew an answer even though you couldn’t think of it right off? Where does that “feeling of knowing” come from? The answer to this question is the focus of neurologist Robert Burton’s new book On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You’re Not . I recently reviewed Dr. Burton’s book on the Brain Science Podcast and last week I had the opportunity to interview him for the show. He explained that one of the origins for his book was his experience with patients with conditions like Cotard’s syndrome (where the patient thinks he is dead or does not exist). What Dr. Burton... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742822 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:33:51 +0100 1742822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742823&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D886 As of today… meth and the boy next door gone wrong by Topher Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Sitting here at the PC, I wonder what words of wisdom I have to impart to the world that might have any value in anyone’s life that isn’t just meaningless chatter of emotional drivel. . . . As a person in recovery from crystal myself, I have struggled with the sexual component of meth. Separating the drug from my sex drive was not an easy task, but two and a half years later, I maintain a substance-free life, and have incorporated a sex life far better than I ever had on crystal. It took determination, speaking with my therapist openly, and several failed sexual attempts to RE-learn how to have crystal-free sex. Now, the challenge is finding others who like the type of sex I do and are crys... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742823 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:05:15 +0100 1742823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742824&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D885 Palin Pick: Bold Move or Bad Move? wall street journal blog — washington wire: Political Insight and Analysis From The Wall Street Journal’s Capital Bureau August 29, 2008, 5:05 pm Sen. John McCain shook up the presidential campaign with his pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. After digesting the news, politicians and activists from all points along the political spectrum are weighing in: . . . Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, noted that Palin had acknowledged trying marijuana, and said: “Gov. Palin is one of many millions of Americans who have used marijuana and gone on to live productive, wildly successful lives. That she used marijuana is no big deal, but what is a big deal is that she thinks that the 100 mill... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742824 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:53:48 +0100 1742824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1738954&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F08%2Flincoln-king-garrison-douglas-stanton.html This is not a political endorsement: But it is a celebration of the culmination and success of an earlier fight on behalf of human exceptionalism--Abolitionism and racial equality.Abraham Lincoln who grew into abolitionism during his presidency, is smiling tonight as the first African-American in history accepts his party's nomination to be its candidate for President of the United States. So is the great William Lloyd Garrison, who not only stood for abolition, but full equal moral worth between blacks and whites--and men and women--at a time when only a very few did either. Ditto the great Frederick Douglas, who escaped slavery and became a clarion beacon for equality.And Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who before she was a feminist, cut her teeth in the abolitionist movement. Also, Booker T. Wa... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1738954 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 1738954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739290&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D884 chers— things seem to be happening quickly, although i’m not happening quite as quickly. am still working on another set of posts on hivers and depression — maybe i’ll just tidy that up and provide links to related articles. but i’m sort of actually caught up, ecxept i don’t have an article of AB2279 — medical cannabis users’ employment protection act — which has passed in both the california house & senate and is now in a holding pattern for the gov’s signature. i am also hoping to train with a number of HIVers in stand-up comedy for the next POZ life weekend sponsored by the life group la. i am also hoping to have another poem done soon in the “lulu’s” series, depicting life in an assisted care institution and advocating for a model HIV/A... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739290 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:56:28 +0100 1739290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739291&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D883 prepared remarks culver city council 8/25/08 richard kearns, a 57-year-old gay man alive with AIDS for more than 20 years, i’m a long term survivor. i used to teach journalism over at loyola marymount university and lived in westchester. so these are my old stomping grounds, around the balona wetlands. i am an AIDS activist and a medical cannabis patient and advocate. i want to thank culver city for your cordial internet reception, though i was disappointed not to receive a copy of the police department’s report on its involvement in the organica raid. i look forward to reading that. [rk’s note: there was a statement released at the city council meeting claiming no information could be revealed about a continuing investigation — same old formula used by DEA investigators t... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739291 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:36:34 +0100 1739291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739292&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D882 California attorney general issues medical marijuana guidelines Jerry Brown outlines steps to help patients and dispensaries stay within the law, help police know when to step in and, it’s hoped, keep the federal government at bay. By Eric Bailey, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 26, 2008 SACRAMENTO — For the first time in the dozen years of turmoil since state voters legalized medical marijuana, California’s top law enforcement official stepped into the fray Monday with new guidelines designed in part to quell the ongoing friction between the state and federal authorities. Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown issued an 11-page directive intended to help legitimate patients avoid arrest while giving police the tools to distinguish legal medical marijuana operations from illegal... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739292 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:22:07 +0100 1739292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739293&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D881 Engagement and Deliverance at the CDC, Part 2 Nedra Weinreich spare change Continuing the sum-up of my experience at the CDC’s 2nd National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media (Part 1 here), here are the key points from the sessions I attended on the second day… Scott Shamp, University of Georgia (and others) - For National HIV Testing Day, UGA’s New Media Institute, along with partners Verizon, CDC, Danya International and Nokia, recruited 23 students from universities in the Southeast to come together to create what they called “Personal Public Service Announcements” (PPSAs). These were short videos created on cell phones all in the course of one day. Guided by experts, the students learned about HIV/AIDS, about filmmaking and how to ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739293 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:55:01 +0100 1739293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739294&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D880 my name is richard kearns. i am a 55-year-old gay man alive with AIDS in los angeles for more than 20 years. i am a medical cannabis patient & advocate. a citizen journalist & poet. i speak today in favor of regulating medical cannabis. this is my open poem calling for a city that’s a good place to die [5-15-2007]. to the self-appointed hall monitors with machine guns uninformed about the law sure about the criminals killing us with pretense & to all their many poisoned ears who are you to tell me how to sing the blues? i am the blues i ring the blues out loud for you: hear me now these are the 1983 denver AIDS principles in song: we are persons with AIDS, we are, we must be expert voices hearkened to in all public health policy dialogs about our lives & deaths &#03... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739294 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:38:42 +0100 1739294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734094&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D879 from ACT-UP ny: 1983 denver AIDS principles Ever since people with AIDS stormed the stage at a Denver conference in 1983 and demanded self-determination, grassroots AIDS activism has taken its lead from the people most affected. There is no better way to cite the history of the PWA self-empowerment movement that to quote the principles articulated in Denver in 1983. They are as relevant and powerful today as they were then. THE DENVER PRINCIPLES (Statement from the advisory committee of the People with AIDS) We condemn attempts to label us as “victims,” a term which implies defeat, and we are only occasionally “patients,” a term which implies passivity, helplessness, and dependence upon the care of others. We are “People With AIDS.” RECOMMENDATIONS... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734094 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:56:44 +0100 1734094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734095&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D878 chers— the following reuters article presents a rosy-painted case of medical service delivery in assisted care institutions. my experience with medicine errors in the 130-resident assisted care where i live suggests two unaddressed issues: 1. not only is there a problem delivering medicine to patients in a timely manner (where i live, timing of delivery of meds is more inconsistent than reported in the article, not that it’s acceptable for one out of four residents not to receive their meds on time, as reported), but also patients are left without medication for days until the in-house “pharmacist” refills prescriptions. while patients could take care of refills more effectively themselves, once they turn over a prescription to the house “pharmacist,” there’s no gettin... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734095 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:41:20 +0100 1734095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734096&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D877 Uninsured pay $30 billion for health care: study (Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Vicki Allen) Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:39pm IST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans who go without health insurance for any part of 2008 will spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care and they will get $56 billion worth of free care, according to a report released on Monday. Government programs pay for about three-quarters, or roughly $43 billion, of the bills for these uninsured people, Jack Hadley of George Mason University in Virginia and a team at the Urban Institute reported. “Physicians’ donated time and forgone profits amount to $7.8 billion. After government payments to hospitals are subtracted, private philanthropy and profit margins are responsible for at least an additional $6.3 bill... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734096 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:19:58 +0100 1734096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734097&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D876 Insurance gap leads some elderly to forgo medicine By KEVIN FREKING washington post / The Associated Press Thursday, August 21, 2008; 10:00 A WASHINGTON — Many people in Medicare with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions stop taking their medicine when faced with picking up the entire cost of their prescriptions, researchers say. About 3.4 million older and disabled people hit a gap, known as the doughnut hole, in their Medicare drug coverage in 2007. When that happened, they had to pay the entire costs of their medicine until they spent $3,850 out of pocket. Then, insurance coverage would kick in again. About 15 percent of those hitting the coverage gap stopped their treatment regimen. That rate varied depending upon illness. For example, about 10 percent of... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734097 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:10:28 +0100 1734097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734098&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D875 Justice Edwin Cameron calls for a campaign against ‘misguided criminal laws and prosecutions’ AIDSmap report Edwin J. Bernard, Tuesday, August 26, 2008 “HIV is a virus, not a crime,” argued South African Supreme Court Justice Edwin Cameron during his impassioned call for “a campaign against criminalisation” on the final day of the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Justice Cameron’s plenary presentation was the vocalisation – and culmination – of a growing movement against criminalisation of HIV exposure and transmission that has been supported – and nourished – by organisations as powerful and diverse as UNAIDS and UNDP; the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+); the International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734098 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:00:24 +0100 1734098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734099&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D874 chers— poem above is in jpeg format. i detest html’s lack of avility to format type. text version follows. namasté —rk i. had a boyfriend. what catch of phrase what diaper what dance what social marketing would have saved his bluer-than-sky eyes? hiv hurts? he knew already aids will kill you? aids always kills someone else goodbye. i love you how dieth the wise man? as the fool i say die responsibly ii. my name is richard kearns i am a gay man living with aids in los angeles do you deserve to know? why? do i deserve to know? are these just deservings? what is it we know when we know? what does it mean to have aids? aids. i said the word you say not me not i not here not now not ever no— i will die of something else before i die of aids anything else i sa... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734099 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:36:55 +0100 1734099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730736&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D873 chers— medical cannabis patients who are interested in offering or observing public testimony possibly for the first time at this monday’s culver city council meeting, particularly residents as well as stakeholders (people who work, own property, rent, shop, operate a business, go to church or conduct other life-activities in culver city), are invited to a practice session / strategy meeting 4:20 pm monday at organica before attending the 7:00pm city council meeting namasté —rk organica meeting when: 4:20 pm, monday, august 25, 2008 where: organica 13456 washington blvd. marina del rey, ca 90232 (310) 578-2945 near washington & lincoln (bring your doctor’s letter & ca photo id) culver city council meeting when: 7:00 pm monday, 8/25/2008 where: council... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730736 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:24:57 +0100 1730736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730737&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D872 An infectious cause India Today Sunil Sethi August 22, 2008 AIDS Sutra: Untold Stories From India by Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai, William Dalrymple and Others Random House India Price: Rs 395, Pages: 340 The HIV/AIDS story in India is full of strange and savage contradictions. For years, there was quibbling about the approximate number suffering from it. Figures veered wildly between 20 million and five million until the National Family Health Survey (2005-06) confirmed a realistic estimate of between two and three million. The patients are concentrated in certain states and districts and among high risk groups-sex workers, drug users, truckers among others. Indian drug companies have taken the lead in reducing the cost of anti-retroviral drugs, yet a combination of poor delivery, ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730737 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:09:15 +0100 1730737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730738&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D871 In this study the limiting step to increasing the numbers of people on-treatment was due to low numbers of healthcare workers. Several other presentations talked about ‘task shifting’ which is where, for example, nurses could be trained to prescribe first-line HIV treatment. http://www.aids2008.org/Pag/Abstracts.aspx?AID=11847 ________________________________________ Side effects ________________________________________ The risk of serious side effects limits the benefits from first-line d4T-based combinations which are still taken by over 70% of HIV-positive people globally. There is little access to second line treatment. Many of these discussions involved access to tenofovir and PIs, and at affordable prices. For example the Thai study in the poster discussant on Monday showed alm... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730738 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:55:54 +0100 1730738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723522&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D870 “Turpentine’s a hard line! huh!” And so, with music and magic, the world premiere of “Turpentine Jake,” staged at Loyola Marymount’s Del Rey Theatre, takes off on a smart flight of legendary scope and impact, a skillfully-crafted historical drama of character and social justice that doesn’t depend on a car-chase mentality for suspense. To the contrary, the soaring use of lanuage in gem-like self-narratives, poetry and songs, accentuates the action. Set in the”debt peonage” system of the Florida Turpentine camps in 1937, the story is dramatized by the grandson of one of those workers, James E. Hurd Jr. (who also co-directs with Jim Holmes and stars as Jake) and writing partner and producer Linda Bannister, who together conducted extensive reasearch and interviews... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723522 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:00:37 +0100 1723522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723523&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D869 DEA claims agent is not Blackwater employee August 4th, 2008 Posted by Kris Hermes americans for safe access The photo of a law enforcement agent conducting a raid on a state-sanctioned medical marijuana dispensary in Culver City, posted last week by ASA’s Rebecca Saltzman, has attracted significant online attention. The photo depicts the agent carrying a box marked “DEA,” and wearing a t-shirt with the word “Blackwater” and its logo on it. Blackwater is a private security company that has deployed personnel in Iraq and is increasingly being used for international drug interdiction efforts. Blackwater has recently come under fire with Congress on its dealings with the federal government. Given that no private company has taken part in federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723523 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:53:18 +0100 1723523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723524&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D868 Knights of Columbus tip the balance with big anti-gay marriage donation 3:49 PM, August 20, 2008 It’s official — opponents of gay marriage have raised more cash in support of Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage initiative, than gay marriage supporters, who have vowed to defeat the Nov. 4 ballot measure. A contribution by the Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus of $1.25 million on Aug. 14 put Proposition 8 supporters within striking distance of opponents. Yesterday, another infusion of cash from groups and individuals who oppose same-sex marriage put them ahead in the money race. Our own Maloy Moore is following the money in a pair of data bases she helped create, which she updates daily. On Aug. 14, when the Knights of Columbus made their contribution, the totals were $7... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723524 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:39:55 +0100 1723524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717257&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D867 richard kearns, poet activist [monday, august 18, 2008] i stand before you this evening as a member of SCHAC, the southern california HIV advocacy coalition. SCHAC’s mission is • to expand access to quality health care and treatment for all people living with HIV/AIDS; • to advocate for appropriate funding for HIV/AIDS programs within the state of California; and • to lobby for legislation and public policies that promote the health, welfare and civil rights of all Californians affected by HIV/AIDS. it is my joy to unofficially inform you that SCHAC has come out in opposition to prop 8; we have vowed to say no on the same-sex marriage ban, and we urge all HIVers in california and our allies to vow to say no also. i want to share with you tonight some of the board’s th... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717257 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:51:13 +0100 1717257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717258&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D866 Engagement and Deliverance at the CDC, Part 1 Nedra Weinreich spare change . . . Last week at the CDC’s 2nd National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media, . . . So many sessions were scheduled, and nearly every one was spot-on as to the topics I want to learn about, that it was hard to choose which ones to attend. . . . [here are notes & links from two of the many conference presentations on spare change —rk] . . . Plenary session • James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds, talked about how, under the right conditions, a group’s decisions can be smarter than those of the smartest person in the group. He used examples like Google’s pagerank algorithm, racetrack betting and Best Buy’s yearly gift card sales. His point is ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717258 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:05:11 +0100 1717258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717259&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D865 August Election Poll: One in Four Americans Continues to Struggle Paying for Health Care Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 — August 2008 The latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 poll finds that one in four (24%) Americans continues to struggle with paying for health care. Health care ranks as a “serious problem” above paying for food (18%), problems with debt (16%), and paying the rent or mortgage (15%) and below paying for gas (37%) or getting a good paying job or raise in pay (26%). Among the 24 percent that find paying for health care or health insurance a serious problem, those in the poorest health and those with the most need disproportionately report difficulties. • Half (50%) of the uninsured say paying for health care is a serious probl... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717259 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:51:44 +0100 1717259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717260&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D864 California doctors can’t refuse treatment to gays on religious grounds, court rules The state Supreme Court decides that an antidiscrimination law takes precedence over doctors’ right to religious freedom. By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 19, 2008 SAN FRANCISCO — Doctors may not discriminate against gays and lesbians in medical treatment, even if the procedures being sought conflict with physicians’ religious beliefs, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously Monday. In its second major decision advancing gay rights this year, the state high court ruled that religious physicians must obey a state law that bars businesses from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. “The 1st Amendment’s right to the free exercise... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717260 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:20:02 +0100 1717260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717261&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D863 chers— there are two historical models of plague whose records we can study to try and understand effects and course of the AIDS plague — first, the 14th century bubonic plague, and second, the 1918 influenza epidemic. so these findings offer clues about ending AIDS. this seems to be a pretty good resource article. namasté —rk Bacteria played a role in 1918 pandemic flu deaths, scientists say The virus triggered a violent immune response that injured the lungs, making them a target for bacterial infection, two studies say. The findings may guide preparations for future outbreaks. By Mary Engel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 18, 2008 Most deaths in the 1918 influenza pandemic were due not to the virus alone but to common bacterial infections that took adv... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717261 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:16:18 +0100 1717261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709318&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D861 A DANGEROUS SHIFT The wrong way to fight AIDS By Laurie Garrett Published: July 30, 2008 international herald tribune In a few days [published just prior to the opening of the mexico city conference —rk] some 20,000 people who work in various capacities on the AIDS pandemic will gather in Mexico City for the International AIDS Conference. I will not be there: This will mark the first AIDS Conference I have deliberately missed since 1985, when a cluster of scientists convened the first such gathering in Atlanta. Many of the leading lights in the battle against AIDS from all over the world are similarly disinclined to attend, saying they are not able to join in celebrating the creation of a vast, multibillion dollar AIDS treatment industry, employing hundreds of thousands of indivi... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709318 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:20:20 +0100 1709318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709319&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D860 I remember when Russell came home the first time. A Sunday afternoon. The occasion was a homecoming for me too—one more of a zillion homecoming - from - the - hospital parties. Pardon me — brunches and openhouses. This time my hospital stay had been necessitated by an eye infection that went berserk. Every half hour, for six days and seven nights, ceaseless nurses put two different super-potent antibiotic drops in my left eye. It was perfect medical management: the mild madness of sleep depravation kept me from realizing how brutal a hit the rest of my body was taking from the toxicity of the antibiotics. Before I could object, my eye was saved. Sixteen weeks until I was up and around again. Not what I would call being in the loop. Back to Russell. I love every homecoming party I... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709319 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:08:55 +0100 1709319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1708869&cid=t_91835_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F08%2Fspain-preparing-to-legalize-euthanasia.html I have been waiting for this: Spain's government may be the most radical in the free world, controlled as it is by Socialists and Greens. It is personalizing fauna by preparing to legalize the Great Ape Project, and has pursued other agendas on the progressive agenda with vigor. Yet, so far, no legalization of euthanasia. That appears poised to change. From a brief story from the Catholic News Agency:The Minister of Justice in Spain, Mario Fernandez Bermejo, received the members of the organization, Right to Die with Dignity, in a meeting and vowed to meet the demands of their group dedicated to promoting euthanasia and suicide.Although the meeting did not end with a concrete agreement, the Minister published a statement in which he remarked that the board is concerned that those with term... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1708869 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:20:00 +0100 1708869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1696304&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D859 chers— have been doing massive amounts of sleeping and reading this past month. just finished arthur herman’s double biography gandhi & churchill. i am now focusing on laurie garrett’s betrayal of trust with the three trillion dollar war by joseph stiglitz and linda bilmes next in line. also been looking at reports from the financial times on how the economics of big pharma — profit no matter the cost — are still driving research and distribution of AIDS meds. should we be developing treatments or patents? what is the commodification of public health doing to the healthcare access infrastrucure on the planet? what are we looking at over the next 25 years of the AIDS plague? it comes down to that basic conflict: what’s more important: lives or buck... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1696304 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:31:49 +0100 1696304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668515&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D858 chers— was there. the appetizers were great. kebobs. little teeny rasberry cheesecakes and chocolate mousses in cups. goat-cheese-stuffed mushrooms. salsa’d shrimp coctails. my midwest staple, crackers & cheese. lamb that nobody wanted. “dress office casual,” the invitation said. i wore seersucker & jeans that even drew a compliment. also saw weho mayor jeff prang, overlooked in jasmyne cannuck’s report below. looked for aids-write contributor sonya renee taylor of the black AIDS institute, but missed her. there is something very exciting about karen bass. i think it’s because she believes in unity, and that seems to be her game plan too. a call to be good companions to one another. i also have a sense of the shortness of her term — two years.. karen a... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668515 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:52:46 +0100 1668515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649110&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D854 HIV digs deeper into Deep South Sunday, July 20, 2008 DAVE PARKS [birmingham] News staff writer HIV has burrowed into the Deep South, feeding off some of the most impoverished people in the nation and creating a health catastrophe, according to a report being released Monday in Birmingham. The report from the Southern AIDS Coalition says federal funding to fight the disease has not followed the epidemic’s path, with an unfair share of money for treatment, education and support services remaining in other, wealthier parts of the nation that have fewer new HIV cases and declining death rates. “Rising infection rates coupled with inadequate funding, resources and infrastructure have resulted in a catastrophic situation in our public health care systems in the South,” t... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649110 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:17:17 +0100 1649110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649111&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D853 Report: HIV/AIDS on the rise in SC By Adam Fogle | Sun, Jul 20, 2008 - 10:11 pm | Posted in Around the state SAC [southern AIDS coalition] Report Findings • Throughout the rest of the country from 2001 to 2005, the number of deaths from AIDS decreased, but continued to increase in the South; • Of the 15 states with the highest rates of new HIV infections, nine (60%) are in the South. Additionally, of the 20 metropolitan areas with the highest AIDS case rates in 2006, 16 (80%) are in the South. The South leads the nation in AIDS cases and rates in cities of all sizes; • Over half (52%) of blacks living with AIDS and 58% of new AIDS cases reported in 2006 among blacks occurred in the South; yet blacks represent approximately 19% of the South’s population; • The South has the hig... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649111 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:10:30 +0100 1649111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1640320&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D850 Medical Marijuana Patients and Supporters March at DNC Protesters Call on Obama to Stand Up for Medical Marijuana On Thursday, August 28, 2008, medical marijuana patients and supporters will march in front of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, calling on Barak Obama to change federal laws that prohibit medical cannabis in the twelve states where voters approved its use. “This will be the first national medical cannabis protest since patients and activists gathered in Washington, DC, in April 2000,” said parade organizer Richard Eastman, who has been using medical cannabis to treat the symptoms of AIDS since 1994. “Patients are angry that the federal government continues to harass and prosecute medical cannabis patients and providers, while blocking research into the... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1640320 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:32:10 +0100 1640320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1602934&cid=t_91835_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F08%2Fmaking-the-difference-the-pacesetters-beginners-guide-to-service-improvement-for-equality-and-diversity-in-the-nhs%2F Making the difference: The Pacesetters beginner’s guide to service improvement for equality and diversity in the NHS considers service improvement approaches for those working within the Pacesetters programme. Service improvement is concerned with testing ideas, sustaining and sharing best practice to make a tangible difference in outcomes and experience for staff and service users. It is primarily intended for NHS organisations who are part of the Pacesetters programme; however, will also be useful for other organisations. (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1602934 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:40:38 +0100 1602934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563989&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D849 Conclusions Mortality rates for HIV-infected persons have become much closer to general mortality rates since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. In industrialized countries, persons infected sexually with HIV now appear to experience mortality rates similar to those of the general population in the first 5 years following infection, though a mortality excess remains as duration of HIV infection lengthens. [my bolding —rk] thanks for the heads-up to john james at aids treatment news daily alerts (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563989 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:00:28 +0100 1563989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563990&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D848 Drug war on moms Toddler, newborn wrongly torn from family in stepped-up screening of pregnant women> By Troy Anderson, Staff Writer Article Last Updated: 06/28/2008 10:31:39 PM PDT Awakened by late-night pounding and his doorbell ringing, Palmdale resident Jesus Bejarano found a social worker and two sheriff’s deputies demanding he turn over his 20-month-old daughter, Kelly. The social worker said Bejarano’s 29-year-old wife, Cheila Herrera, had tested positive for amphetamines and PCP at Antelope Valley Hospital after giving birth to the couple’s son a week earlier. Their son, Jesse, who was born prematurely and was still at the hospital, had already been placed in protective custody. “It was terrible,” Herrera said of the Feb. 14 ordeal. “It wa... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563990 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:47:04 +0100 1563990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563991&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D846 Serious patient errors at California hospitals disclosed in state filings About 100 Californians a month are being harmed in adverse events considered preventable. A lawmaker proposes banning reimbursements to hospitals for some types of injuries. By Jordan Rau, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 30, 2008 jordan.rau@latimes.com SACRAMENTO — Last October, a technician at the children’s hospital at Stanford University improperly connected a ventilator hose, accidentally pumping too little oxygen into a 9-day-old infant’s lungs. A month later, technicians at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz unintentionally placed a CT scan of one patient into the electronic file of another, leading physicians to remove the wrong person’s appendix. California’s 518 hospitals re... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563991 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:14:21 +0100 1563991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563992&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D845 POZ Life Weekend Seminar August 8-10, 2008 In the West Hollywood Area! (California!) Download the Flyer at http://thelifegroupla.org/pdf/poz_lif_flyer.pdf A Free Healing and Transformational Workshop for People with HIV/AIDS and their Loved Ones. New Outlook, New Beginning, New Possibilities August brings another great Line Up of Amazing Presenters and Topic’s Drug Treatment Options; Disclosure, Relationships; Insurance and Public Benefits; Nutrition and HIV; Sex and Intimacy; Adherence, Healing Drum Circle, Qi Energy for Total Health, HIV and Co-Related Medical Conditions, Art Therapy, Support Groups and so much more! To Register, log onto www.TheLifeGroupLA.org for our online reservation form and we will contact you to complete your registration. Or call Sunnie Rose at 888-208... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563992 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:12:47 +0100 1563992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563993&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D844 Online Coverage of the XVII International AIDS Conference In partnership with the International AIDS Society, kaisernetwork.org is pleased to be the official webcaster of the XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008), providing you with access to the daily developments that take place at the conference in Mexico City, August 3-8. Kaisernetwork.org will publish a free Daily Update email, sent during the week-long conference, which will include a summary of and access to each day’s online coverage. You can sign up to receive the email at www.kaisernetwork.org/aids2008, and aids-write.org will post noteworthy reports, excerpts and news from Mexico City as well. Kaisernetwork.org’s Extensive Coverage of AIDS 2008 will include: • Live and tape-delayed webcasts and transcripts o... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563993 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:03:25 +0100 1563993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563994&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D843 kearns celebrates 3 years, 900 posts & 57th birthday at aids-write (900) irin plus news: high school student in kenya kills himself after testing HIV positive (897) irin plus news: muslim clerics in kenya oppose condum distribution as “buying immorality” (896) adewale oshodi, nigerian tribune: “i thought the end of the world had come” — interview with woman HIVer (895) lifelube: rugby team demonstrates testicular self-exam (894) kearns’ new AIDS-write poem: wedding bell news (893) i cannot keep from weeping when i hear the wedding bell news ringing freedom i met a friend on the street bill i said the beard is gone he said yeah & rubbed his bare chin glad to see me t-cells? looking good. yours? two thirty two. we can get married now. i went to the rally last nig... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563994 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:51:59 +0100 1563994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531913&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F06%2F20%2Fthe-legal-situation-of-race-equality-abstract%2F Ivan Bodensteiner has posted his paper, “The Supreme Court as the Major Barrier to Racial Equality” on SSRN. Here’s the abstract. * * * This Article suggests that the U.S. Supreme Court, through its decisions in cases alleging race discrimination, stands as a major barrier to racial equality in the United States. There are several aspects of its decisions that lead to this result. Between 1868 and 1954, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, while it had been interpreted to strike down a few blatant forms of de jure discrimination, allowed government to separate the races based on the separate but equal fiction. Beginning in 1954, Brown and a series of subsequent decisions attacked this fiction and for a period of nearly twenty years the Court was intent... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531913 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:04:40 +0100 1531913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1500018&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D841 richard kearns, poet advocate i cannot keep from weeping when i hear the wedding bell news ringing freedom i met a friend on the street bill i said the beard is gone he said yeah & rubbed his bare chin glad to see me t-cells? looking good. yours? two thirty two. we can get married now. i went to the rally last night no, no, it’s too late for me, too late no, no, it’s never too late never too late then strikes another peal of tears i stand before you tonight a year older; i turned 57 a week ago as an HIVer over 50, today i represent 10 percent of the united states’ HIV population in 8 to 10 years i will represent 60 percent of that national population i live in an assisted care institution one of many typical southland meat locker empires more concerned about billing than deliv... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1500018 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:55:26 +0100 1500018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1500019&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D840 The Body HIV in the U.S. Epidemic’s Darkest Hour: An Interview With Mark S. King By Bonnie Goldman, May 14, 2008 excerpt [q] I know a lot of people didn’t get tested back in the 1980s since at that point HIV was considered a death sentence, and because there were no treatments there was no point to get tested. What made you get tested and how did you deal with the results? [a] I just had this morbid curiosity. You’re right; it was politically incorrect to get tested. Absolutely not would you want to do that, and we didn’t need any evidence of the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV; we saw it all around us. I had friends who couldn’t go get a manicure because they were gay and the people in the manicure shops wouldn’t give them manicures b... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1500019 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:14:17 +0100 1500019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1500022&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D837 nigerian woman photo jpeg Plight of a 28-year-old HIV-positive lady - Says stigmatisation is biggest challenge facing PLWHAS nigerian tribune, may 26, 2008 Adewale Oshodi writes on the lonely life of a 28-year-old HIV-positive lady, who, because of her status, is now being treated like an unwelcome stranger, even by her immediate family. FOR Kemi Aiyedun (not real names), when she hears people, especially the youth, say HIV/AIDS is an idea by the whites to recolonise Africans, she just laughs it off. This is because, at age 28, she is already HIV-positive. Before discovering she was positive, Kemi, who lives with her parents at Alakia area of Ibadan, Oyo State, was full of hope about life. With a transporter father and a food seller mother, Kemi knew she had to work real hard to assist... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1500022 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:32:11 +0100 1500022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1500023&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D836 chers— click below to see the video on lifelube. in my next life i’ll learn how to post video clips. maybe sooner. namasté —rk Rugby Boys Learn New Ball-Handling Skills Friday, May 30, 2008 In this fun, sexy, and informative video, a rugby team disrobes with the help of a health professional to learn how to examine their testicles for lumps that may signal testicular cancer. [many thanks to bloggernista for putting this on our radar! — Rugby Players Go Balls Out Against Cancer (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1500023 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:07:38 +0100 1500023 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480765&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D835 i cannot keep from weeping when i hear the wedding bell news ringing freedom i met a friend on the street bill i said the beard is gone he said yeah & rubbed his bare chin glad to see me t-cells? looking good. yours? two thirty two. we can get married now. i went to the rally last night no, no, it’s too late for me, too late no, no, it’s never too late never too late then strikes another peal of tears —rk (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480765 Fri, 30 May 2008 19:03:15 +0100 1480765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1469768&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D834 Same-Sex Licenses on Time; WeHo To Wed Monday, May 26, 2008 By Ryan Gierach, West Hollywood West Hollywood, California (Monday, May 26, 2008) - The County Clerk will be prepared for the first same-sex marriage licenses on time, with an added bonus; the Clerk’s office will put a licensing branch in West Hollywood. At an update given to the LA County Board of Supervisors on May 20, the acting County Clerk, Dean Logan, said all would be ready on June 16, the day the Supreme Court’s decision acknowledging marriage equality for gays and lesbians in California goes into effect. Mr. Logan told the Board, “Our staff is preparing to implement the court’s decision… and we believe that we will do that in a timely and efficient manner.” The Board, at the suggestion of Zev Ya... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469768 Tue, 27 May 2008 03:17:03 +0100 1469768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1469769&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D833 chers— this is a curous post & comment set. i like the semi-unintended humor and response also. namasté —rk Should Christians get HIV Tested ? Last edited by rizen1; 05-24-08, 10:56 PM POLL: No, christians don’t get infected we’re holy. 0% Yes, we’re also human. 100.00% What is HIV, is that a bible translation? 0% Come on lets be honest, some Christians are not virgins, some are sexually active and trying to stop. We preach to the youths that are virgins “no sex till marriage” To those that are born again virgins “Resist temptation say no to sex” Quote: How many people are affected by HIV/AIDS? The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now 40 million people living with HIV or A... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469769 Mon, 26 May 2008 21:21:20 +0100 1469769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1469770&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D832 Where’s Antonio? Tues. May 27 Make plans to attend our rally at the LA Mayor’s office on Tuesday, May 27. We are calling on the Mayor to end his silence on the issue of medical cannabis and delivering hundreds of signatures on a petition asking that he meet with us. Come on our and be a part of it! What – Where’s Antonio? A rally at the Mayor’s office When – 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 27 Where – the lawn at City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., downtown LA metro net trip planner http://www.metro.net/default.asp (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469770 Mon, 26 May 2008 19:35:56 +0100 1469770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1469771&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D830 christopher caldwell, financial times (british), 5-21-2006: how AIDS gave gays marriage (889) amFAR study focuses on issues of stigma for women HIVers (888) D-Roxx at Politics & Poetry: Connie (887) ryan clary, project inform: world hepatitis awareness day (est. 30% HIVers coinfected) 5-19 (886) CHAMP schedules 2 phone conferences about HIVer willie campbell sentenced to 35 years for spitting on cop in dallas, tx (5-22 & 5-23-08) (885) edwin bernard, nam, AIDSwatch, uk: HIVer willie campbell sentenced 35 years for spitting on cop in dallas, tx (884) stylist mark morford, sfgate / chronicle: satan’s gay agenda (883) latimes: 28 reactions to ca supreme court ruling that unbans same-sex marriage (882) sacbee: 13 responses to ca supreme court ruling in favor of same-sex mar... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469771 Sun, 25 May 2008 18:44:02 +0100 1469771 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1467029&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D829 chers— this is an interesting article published two years ago linking AIDS activism with same-sex marriage advocacy. it is currently housed at the AIDS foundation of chicago’s website. ran across it on the body’s History of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, which also has links to a ton of other interesting articles. enjoy. namasté —rk How AIDS Gave Gays Marriage By Christopher Caldwell (May 21, 2004) In the 1980s, as the Aids epidemic spread among American homosexuals, Pat Buchanan, the political commentator and sometime presidential candidate, called the disease “nature’s revenge”. Last week, as pairs of men and pairs of women walked down the marriage aisle with the blessing of the state of Massachusetts, it appeared that nature has a funny way of showing h... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467029 Sun, 25 May 2008 04:20:31 +0100 1467029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1467030&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D828 chers— these figures and recommendations are from an amFAR study that was discussed on the CHAMP strategy lab telephone conference call may 21. also included were discussions of cdc standards for HIV testing in prisons, and discussion of the PAVE100 vaccine trials, which is pretty much a shambles as a result of the fallout of the merck vaccine failure. namasté —rk [excerpts from powerpoint notes] Women, HIV, and Stigma Results from a National Survey From Insight to Action Susan J. Blumenthal, MD, MPA Senior Policy and Medical Advisor amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research Former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health March 31, 2008 Attitudes Towards HIV+ Women Overall, Americans are uncomfortable with HIV+ women – not just in intima... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467030 Sat, 24 May 2008 20:25:25 +0100 1467030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1463751&cid=t_91835_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F22%2Fmental-health-parity-loses-its-champion%2F With Senator Edward Kennedy facing an inoperable brain tumor, much of the legislation he’s been championing in the past few years is left in limbo. The most important piece of legislation he was overseeing in mental health was the effort to make mental disorders equal to medical diseases so that health insurers can no longer discriminate against mental health concerns with limited coverage. This effort, called mental health parity, was to be decided this year, after both the House (with the help of his son, Patrick Kennedy) and Senate passed mental health parity bills which only needed to be reconciled in committee. With Kennedy back at home and taking some time off to consider his treatment options and undergo his cancer treatment, it’s unclear what will become of this and ot... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1463751 Thu, 22 May 2008 17:45:48 +0100 1463751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449402&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D823 Court approves evil gay agenda Satan’s plan to make uptight straight people “really uncomfortable” working out “fabulously,” say Bay Area gays By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist Friday, May 16, 2008 We are all going to die. Very, very soon. Did you know? Apparently, the signs are all in place and the plague is clearly nigh and Armageddon is fast upon us because, oh my angry heterosexual god, the announcement has now been handed down: Couples who deeply love one another may now get married in California. It’s true. Wait, there’s more. The couple in question might both have penises. Or they both might not. This is the crazy, terrifying new thing: It is totally up to them. Can you imagine? Put another way: If you are a loving couple in this fin... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449402 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:51:18 +0100 1449402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449403&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D822 Gay marriage upheld: reactions to the ruling By Times Staff Writers 2:28 PM PDT, May 15, 2008 From the Los Angeles Times Voices from across California, and around the nation, in reaction to the California Supreme Court decision ruling that a ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional: Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) California Assembly speaker “We are delighted with today’s state Supreme Court ruling allowing marriage equality in California. It is a true testament to advancing equality and to recognizing the right of all Californians to build a future with the person they love. We recently lost Mildred Loving, the woman whose marriage to a man of another race ushered in the Supreme Court ruling that made marriage colorblind. Today’s ruling is another important reminder that l... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449403 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:27:38 +0100 1449403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449404&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D821 In their words: Gay marriage Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, May 16, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A10 “Even though the ruling only applies to California, we all know the effect the state will have on the rest of the country. This is a harbinger state. People look to the state for leadership. The sunshine here today will extend to everywhere in this country where it has been hard to be a gay person.” – Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights “Only one other American state recognizes the right the majority announces today. So far, Congress, and virtually every court to consider the issue, has rejected it. Nothing in our constitution, express or implicit, compels the majority’s startling conclusion that the ag... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449404 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:04:31 +0100 1449404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449405&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D820 please click on this sentence to view the 172-page pdf text of ca supreme court ruling Excerpt from the Court’s Decision: A number of factors lead us to this conclusion. First, the exclusion of same-sex couples from the designation of marriage clearly is not necessary in order to afford full protection to all of the rights and benefits that currently are enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples; permitting same-sex couples access to the designation of marriage will not deprive opposite-sex couples of any rights and will not alter the legal framework of the institution of marriage, because same-sex couples who choose to marry will be subject to the same obligations and duties that currently are imposed on married opposite-sex couples. Second, retaining the traditional definition of mar... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449405 Fri, 16 May 2008 19:47:20 +0100 1449405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446181&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D819 California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage RALLY & CELEBRATION TONIGHT IN WEST HOLLYWOOD March 15, 2008, 7:00 PM Corner of Santa Monica Blvd. & San Vicente The California Supreme Court has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage This is an historic day, not only for California, for but the nation. With this decision, LGBT can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel in our civil rights movement, at which equal opportunity and full civil rights will be extended. We still have many challenges ahead, including a November ballot measure by the foes of equality. However, Californians and the American people continue to demons rate, more and more, their fundamental belief in fairness to all people, no matter their status. Governor Schwarzengger has stated in ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446181 Thu, 15 May 2008 23:01:03 +0100 1446181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446183&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D817 CHAMP STRATEGY LAB Next Strategy Lab Call Wednesday, May 21 3:30-5:30 EDT / 2:30-4:30 CDT / 1:30-3:30 MDT / 12:30-2:30 PDT Please note dial in 866-740-1260, passcode 4272302# We invite allies from CHAMP’s HIV Prevention Network and Research Advocacy lists, the HIV Prevention Advocacy Coalition, and the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership to join Strategy Lab members for this call. We appreciate and welcome your input in these important discussions! CALL AGENDA 3:30 - 4:20 • Dangerous Crossings: Prisons at an Intersection of HIV in the US • Is Opt-Out Testing a Real Option in Prisons and Jails? Review of CDC Guidance for HIV Testing in Prisons and Jails • Winning Strategies for Change: Reducing HIV in Communities Bearing the Burden of Incarceration. CHAMP reports back on... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446183 Thu, 15 May 2008 22:37:02 +0100 1446183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446184&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D816 Tough budget decision shifted to voters: Expand lottery or face sales tax hike? By Kevin Yamamura - kyamamura@sacbee.com Last Updated 1:01 am PDT Thursday, May 15, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger once again wants voters to bail out the state. The Republican governor in 2004 relied on Californians to authorize bonds to pay off the state deficit. In 2005, he unsuccessfully asked them to institute spending control measures in a special election. Now he wants voters to expand the California Lottery and borrow against future profits to help plug a $15.2 billion hole in the state budget. He proposed Wednesday giving them a choice that critics considered more of a veiled threat: approve his lottery plan in November or face a one-cent sales “... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446184 Thu, 15 May 2008 22:21:21 +0100 1446184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446185&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D815 Analysis: Schwarzenegger faces rough sledding on state budget negotiations By Kevin Yamamura - kyamamura@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A3 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger held town hall-style meetings everywhere but Sacramento this spring, making the point that the state’s budget obstructions reside in the capital city. He asked leaders in Eureka and Garden Grove to demand that lawmakers resolve budget problems in April as the state faced a deficit as large as $20 billion, yet his message had little impact. As he releases his revised May budget today, Schwarzenegger must broker a deal in Sacramento with legislators who are disinclined to reach compromise on their own, skeptical of his intentions and believe his clout ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446185 Thu, 15 May 2008 20:55:25 +0100 1446185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446186&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D814 New Schwarzenegger budget for California would divert gas taxes By Evan Halper and Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers May 15, 2008 SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attempted to forge a path out of the state’s financial mess Wednesday by offering concessions to both Democrats, who are demanding that schools and other services not be cut, and Republicans disdainful of new taxes. Both sides immediately declared that they wanted little to do with the governor’s budget proposal, suggesting that Sacramento is in for another long, unproductive summer. The $144.4-billion spending plan would restore $1.8 billion for schools while making deep cuts in welfare and healthcare for the infirm, legal immigrants and impoverished parents. It would steer an $828-m... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446186 Thu, 15 May 2008 16:04:07 +0100 1446186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446187&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D813 Q&A: How the lottery proposal would work By Dan Smith - dsmith@sacbee.com Published 1:00 am PDT Thursday, May 15, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1 Q: How would the borrowing work? A: The state would seek investors to lend $15 billion secured by future earnings from lottery games the state hopes would be improved and more lucrative. Investors would be repaid from lottery funds over 32 years. Schwarzenegger to propose lottery borrowing to ease deficit By Judy Lin - jlin@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will propose borrowing against state lottery income to help close a projected $15.2 billion deficit when he updates the state’s budget today, according to administr... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446187 Thu, 15 May 2008 15:53:53 +0100 1446187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446188&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D812 Governor proposes deeper health and welfare cuts By Judy Lin - jlin@sacbee.com Last Updated 3:23 pm PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008 In releasing his revised budget Wednesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed deeper cuts to health care and welfare programs for the poor even as his administration calculated that the projected demand for government assistance is growing. The Republican governor also proposed $627 million more in cuts to health and human services, making it harder for poor families to qualify for welfare and health coverage. “I know this is going to be very difficult … this is why I had a hard time to make those cuts,” Schwarzenegger said. “But the absolute bottom line is we cannot spend money that we do not have.” Senate President Pro Tem Don... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446188 Thu, 15 May 2008 15:32:23 +0100 1446188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423307&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D804 AHF’s immodest proposal: redirect $9.2 million from CHRP/UARP to CA ADAP & TMP funding for HIVers (864) When faced with a choice between funding a monetarily inconsequential research program or providing drugs and drug monitoring, there can be no choice but to fund treatment. Research can be funded through other UC resources but there are no other resources to buy drugs for the population ADAP serves. josh, wintering in waterloo: safe injection site in vancouver successful stopping spread of HIV/AIDS (863) lin, sacbee: ca broke in august? (862) waxman at 4-22 oversight meeting: “the government’s own study showed no effect for abstinence - only programs” (861) blank physician’s statement regarding medical cannabis (as per California Health & Safety Code 1136259 (86... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423307 Tue, 06 May 2008 16:16:06 +0100 1423307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423310&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D801 California may run out of cash by August By Judy Lin - jlin@sacbee.com Published 12:46 am PDT Tuesday, May 6, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1 sacramento bee CASH CRISIS The Legislature has a June 15 constitutional deadline for approving a budget, but it misses that deadline nearly every year. With reserves running low and revenue drying up, a late budget this year could mean the state pays a premium for loans it will need to pay its bills. • State accounts continue to deteriorate as a result of housing and stock market losses. • California’s credit rating is already among the lowest of state governments. California is facing a cash crisis this summer, putting pressure on elected officials to submit an on-time state budget or risk asking taxpayers to pay a... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423310 Tue, 06 May 2008 14:58:21 +0100 1423310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423311&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D800 Oversight Committee Holds Hearing Assessing the Evidence of Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Chairman Waxman’s Opening Statement We are all here today because we are concerned about the wellbeing of America’s youth. We may not see eye to eye about policy. But we share the common goal of improving adolescents’ health. The statistics are shocking. A few weeks ago, the CDC released data showing that one in four teenage girls in the U.S. has a sexually transmitted infection. 30% of all American girls become pregnant before the age of 20; for African-American and Latina girls, the rate is 50%. And thousands of teenagers and young adults in the United States become infected with HIV each year. If we’re serious about responding to these challenges, we must base our policy on ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423311 Tue, 06 May 2008 05:26:19 +0100 1423311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423312&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D799 Physician’s Statement Regarding Medical Cannabis as per California Health & Safety Code 11362.5 To Whom It May Concern: this statement certifies that ___________________________________________ (patient) is a patient uncer my care and supervision for the treatment of ___________________________________________ (diagnosis) ____ (optional; please check if applicable) I decline to state my patient’s diagnosis to protect his or her confidentiality I have discussed the benefits and risks of cannabis use with my patient as a treatment for his or her condition. I recommend or approve cannabis use for my patient. If my patient chooses to use cannabis therapeutically, I will continue to monitor his or her condition and provide feedback on his or her progress. I understand that I wil... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423312 Tue, 06 May 2008 05:09:59 +0100 1423312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420499&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D798 AIDS: Can the Internet Help Combat the Global Epidemic? Apr 21, 2008 at 1:19 PM AIDS…with its prominence in American media and culture—from Tom Hank’s Oscar-winning performance in Philadelphia to Bono’s advocacy efforts, from the Broadway smash Rent to Angels in America—I was astounded at the lack of personal and institutional/organizational blogs dedicated to the disease on the global scale. Finding a post here or there on a newspaper or publication’s blog doesn’t prove that difficult a task, but finding sites that look at AIDS’ ripple effect…its devastation — medically, emotionally, financially — is no cakewalk. There are a couple of ways to think about this. I guess originally I thought that because AIDS reaches epidemic numbers in South Africa and India, the I... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420499 Mon, 05 May 2008 19:26:41 +0100 1420499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420500&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D797 Who should MDs let die in a pandemic? Report offers answers By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer san jose mercury news Article Launched: 05/05/2008 04:36:17 AM PDT CHICAGO—Doctors know some patients needing lifesaving care won’t get it in a flu pandemic or other disaster. The gut-wrenching dilemma will be deciding who to let die. Now, an influential group of physicians has drafted a grimly specific list of recommendations for which patients wouldn’t be treated. They include the very elderly, seriously hurt trauma victims, severely burned patients and those with severe dementia. The suggested list was compiled by a task force whose members come from prestigious universities, medical groups, the military and government agencies. They include the Department of Homeland Secur... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420500 Mon, 05 May 2008 19:05:58 +0100 1420500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420501&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D796 USC SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK FILM FESTIVAL 2008 MEDIA IN SOCIAL WORK (SOWK 687) STUDENT DOCUMENTARIES “THE OTHER AMERICA: “Humanizing the Vulnerable Through Documentary Filmmaking” Thursday, May 8, 2008 @ 6:30pm SEELEY G. MUDD BUILDING (SGM-123) BOUND BY HONOR: REDEMPTION OF GANG YOUTH AT GRIZZLY ACADEMY CARLA AVALOS AND EDDIE RAMOS FILM THE STORY OF TWO GANG YOUTH CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT GRIZZLY YOUTH ACADEMY WHO ARE CHALLENGED TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIFE. THROWN AWAY KELLY O’CONNOR, VANESSA AVILA, AND ZAHEERAH SAAFIR FILM AMERICA’S DETERIORATING VALUE OF CHILDREN – ONCE PROTECTED BY SOCIETY AND FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND NOW DEVALUED, LOCKED UP AND THROWN AWAY TO LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. THE LOST ART ERIN HEGARTY, MEGAN GILHOOLEY, AND MICHELLE GUBBAY-SNY... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420501 Mon, 05 May 2008 18:46:55 +0100 1420501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420502&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D795 National Prevention Justice Alliance Kickoff Teleconference HIV is not just a disease. It’s proof positive of injustice! Mobilize for HIV Prevention Justice! Unity and Leadership in the Struggle against HIV! Tuesday, May 6, 2008 3:30p Eastern, 2:30p Central, 1:30p Mountain, 12:30p Pacific 90 minutes Dial-in: 1-866-740-1260 Passcode: 4272302# Please register by clicking here. If you require assistance with registration, contact JoshThomas@champnetwork.org (401-427-7030). We invite you to join a national teleconference to build on the momentum from the HIV Prevention Justice Mobilization in Atlanta in December and affiliated prevention justice events & activities around the country. Now we’re excited to launch the Prevention Justice Alliance, a coalition to suppo... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420502 Mon, 05 May 2008 18:31:00 +0100 1420502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420503&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D793 chers— we hear from readers. alexandra juhazs was kind enough to link to aids-write.org in her notes on media praxis for an upcoming lecture at the fowler museum may 18 for the Make Art/Stop AIDS show, incorporating her response to the show’s censorship of a piece by Brenton Maark. hope to be there. namasté —rk To Dance and Dream with the Censor from media praxis April 9, 2008 On May 18, I will give an hour-long invited lecture on AIDS video history as part of the landmark Make Art/Stop AIDS show currently up at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. Given an agregious act of censorship on the part of the museum, my plans for the talk have, understandably, changed. . . . May 1, 2008 I’ve been completing my upcoming talk for the Fowler Museum’s Make Art/Stop AIDS Show. I’ll... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420503 Mon, 05 May 2008 17:29:05 +0100 1420503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1420490&cid=t_91835_133_f&fid=35119&url=http%3A%2F%2Frettdevil.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fyour-friendly-neighborhood-autism.html Welcome to my office Mr. and Mrs. Doe. I am Dr. Generic, PhD. It is a good thing you came to me as soon as you did; one moment more and it would have been too late to do anything. Before I begin there are a few things you need to understand about your newly diagnosed child.The first thing you must understand is that everything is about you. This is contrary to what most parents have been taught about raising a child, however most parents have a proper child and not an autistic freak. Make no mistake: your child, by the virtue of existing and of being autistic, has robbed you of your life and dignity. You are a real person, with empathy and real feelings. Your child is an empty shell without capacity for empathy and most likely without a mind. Therefore you, as a caring human being, should ... The Rettdevil's Rants blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1420490 Mon, 05 May 2008 15:04:00 +0100 1420490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1409784&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D792 kevin yamamura, sacbee: schwarzenegger now says $20billion defecit (856) kevin sack, nytimes: increasing unemployed join ranks of uninsured & strain gov’t healthcare resources (855) kaisernetwork: rise in unemployed creates rise in uninsured (854) deaths of teachers from AIDS in angola hinder literacy efforts there (853) ricardo alonso-zaldivar, latimes: 7% marry for healthcare coverage (852) boston globe: the revenge of e.e. cummings (851) eCanadaNow: wa state transplant candidate nixed for medical cannabis use (850) CHAMP launches independent HIV/AIDS community blog at mexico city iac (849) AIDS2008.com is Live: CHAMP Launches Independent Community Blog Shadowing the 2008 International AIDS Conference (IAC), Invites Collaborators Bloggers and other journalists invited a... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1409784 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:00:17 +0100 1409784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1409785&cid=t_91835_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D791 Analysis: Governor’s deficit estimate rises to $20 billion By Kevin Yamamura - kyamamura@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1 Salinas residents who heard Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger two weeks ago would have good reason to believe the budget deficit is $18 billion dating back to January. Those who listened to him in Alameda could have walked away thinking the gap is $1 billion less. And local prosecutors who heard him at a Sacramento conference last week might peg the problem at $10 billion starting in July. Schwarzenegger has been all over the map in his deficit estimates this month. But after offering vague explanations for the governor’s previous calculations, his aides on Tuesday decided to embrace his lat... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1409785 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:45:32 +0100 1409785