International Carnival Of Pozitivities

Welcome to the fifth international carnival of pozitivities, blog carnival about HIV and AIDS founded and managed by my friend and neighbor (and great blogger) Ron Hudson.

I have to say that preparing this carnival has been quite an eye-opener for me and that I have learned so much. I feel it would be presumptious of me to write any editorials for today's entries so I will just list them with brief quotes from each post, but I warmly recommend that you take your time and read each and every post here - perhaps they will be eye-openers for you as well.

Eric Jost of Confessions of a gay male feminist: Is HIV a Gay Disease?

The campaign has garnered a lot of public scrutiny and media attention because of a series of print ads and posters it posted in GLBT-owned and operated businesses. The posters feature the image of a male couple embracing with the tagline, "HIV is a gay disease. Own it. End it."

Jim Johnson of Straight not narrow: Condi Rice Swears In (gasp!) a Gay Guy!

Yep, you could practically hear right-winger's underwear getting twisted up as those words came out of Rice's mouth.

Doug Ireland of Direland: THE GLOBAL AIDS CRISIS: PLEASE TAKE 8 MINUTES TO WATCH THIS VIDEO

We wish the AIDS problem would go away. Sometimes, we pretend it has.

Steve Schalchlin of Living In The Bonus Round: A Christianist Columnist Wakes Up?

It's not going to change. And do you know why? Because justice and fairness for gay people is a moral imperative. Politically, conservative Christianists are simply on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of what's right and wrong.

Chad Orzel of Uncertain Principles: Unhappy Anniversary

And let's also applaud, encourage, and most importantly fund the efforts of the people who are working to bring that same security to the rest of the world.

Tara C. Smith of Aetiology: Emerging Disease and Zoonoses #16--the origins of HIV

I mentioned how much you can learn from, well, animal shit. That's exactly what this study boils down to.

Sandra Porter of Discovering Biology in a Digital World: No, I don't worry about AIDS anymore

I worry about date rape drugs and my daughters. I worry about young girls in communities that refuse to talk about protection. I feel sad that this epidemic is perpetuated by social mores, ignorance, and sexism.

Shelley Batts of Retrospectacle: A Neuroscience Blog: Where "Thin Means AIDS"; African Women Become Obese

As more and more women are acquiring AIDS in South Africa, a new trend is emerging: in order to not look HIV positive, women are becoming obese in large numbers.

David Ng of terry*: A GAME OF TWENTY QUESTIONS

AMERICAN: Hmm... Can I get it online?

ETHIOPIAN: I'm sorry, sir. I do not understand your meaning, sir. On where, sir?

AMERICAN: Online... You know, like at eBay or Amazon?

ETHIOPIAN: I do not think so, sir. You do not need to go all the way to the Amazon, sir.

Anupam Singhal of The Science Creative Quarterly: HELP, I NEED A VACCINE! (OR H.I.V. FOR SHORT)

Before I met Andrina, I had this mental picture of an HIV-positive African woman who was physically weak and emotionally devastated by the terminal illness with which she was afflicted.

The Dreamer of Nightmare Hall - Welcome to my nightmare: Mangled In The Medical Machine - Part 3

When you're poz, surgeons don't want to operate, coming up with every sort of excuse. A nurse I spoke with told me in private that surgeons are the most homo and HIV phobics he's dealt with. He also said that in his experience they also have this attitude that people with HIV are not worth expending as much energy on as HIV negative patients.

Ron Hudson of 2sides2ron: The Angles of the Mirror

Soon I will need a mask to make myself less ghoulish, but I am lucky now to be passing through a phase where only I and old friends who rarely see me can discern the extent of my wasting.

Ten-K of Save Gay Life: Testing Upheaval

How else could he imagine that today's medical treatments for AIDS have eliminated HIV stigma? Anyone who has been a victim of stigma knows that stigma is not a function of fact.

Florence Ferreira, guest-posting on 2sides2ron: How to Survive the Doctor's Office

As in a job interview or negotiation, preserving your power when entering the doctor's territory takes a proactive approach. It requires psychology and homework.

Vadim of Neweurasia: Tajikistan: HIV/AIDS problem in Tajikistan

Rahmon also says that the labor migrants are considered to be in the group of high risk. They don't even realize that they have a great risk to be infected.

Jody Kuchar of Grey Matter Flatulence: Condo Cowboys

Apparently the old axiom of believing that people your parents' age don't engage in sex still exists among today's more 'enlightened' young people. Given some thought, the fact that AIDS is growing among senior citizens should not be a surprise to anyone.

Carolyn of Texas AIDS Blog: Accountability and World AIDS Day 2006

The concept of accountability is a complex one. It is certainly au courant in the US, being used in one way or another in just about every political campaign we see these days. I'd like to see some exploration of the concept in terms of the current HIV epidemic in Texas.

Connor MacEachern of Where in the world is Connor MacEachern?: Halfway there?

In a country where cheating is a way of life, and AIDS is viewed by some as an inevitability, there is still a long way to go. Much longer than, say, nine years.

Reverend Tom Okeyo Obiero, guest-blogging on 2sides2ron: A Glimpse of AIDS in Kenya

Most people--mothers, wives and children--are infected and affected with the issue of HIV/AIDS in our community. The old are left with young children to feed, clothe and educate while the resourceful people are dying of AIDS. This made me come up with ideas to help these people stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and to see that those who are hurting are getting ways out of their problems.

Wes Fiser and Dr. Wessner of The AIDS Pandemic: The Condom Controversy: religious fundamentalism and the fight against AIDS in Zambia (click on the post title to listen to the podcast)

The condom controversy raises important questions as to the role of NGO involvement in health policy when NGOs are limited by their supporters of the religious right. Are they doing more harm than good in fighting the AIDS pandemic?

Brian of Blogswana: Our Children

Occasionally I come across a slogan, a tagline, or a quote that I really like.

JP of Japundit:Japan's HIV Problem

One expert says that the number of people who actually have AIDS is four to five times the level being officially reported.

Next edition of the carnival will be in one month from now. Watch the homepage and Ron's blog for the announcement of the next host.