I am so angry i am almost lost for words - except to say
for fucks sake. Uganda, through education and promotion of condom use had reduced AIDS/HIV to four %.
Now. thanks to Bush and his funding it has started to increase dramatically.
The funding is granted to "faith" organisations which promote abstinance rather than safe sex.

edited to say - I am aware that this issue is so much bigger than education. This is just a quick one and i will be back.

Had a discussion about this with my conversation classes at the beginning of this year and even the rabid conservatives in the class thought this was an outrage. One reason I like living in a country like Denmark.

That doesn't help the people of Uganda, though.

Edited when I realised that it was this year and not last year that I had this class.

Involuntary abstinence is working for me.

Kind of ironic - or am I the only one who remembers the expression "discussing Ugandan affairs"?

bogues, i dont understand.

fuckin' fundamentals and popes.

how do they do it ????



on the subject of AIDS... my sister in law's Radio 4 play, for World AIDS Day, Full Blown, was repeated last friday, there is still time to hear it again. (see Friday Play). A very powerful piece of work.



Anita has had another play on radio 4, about the people of Diego Garcia but i'm afraid i missed it

No you are not ..... for those not in the know it was a short hand for having sex, I think in the papers, years ago.

I'm also currently in involuntary abstenance .... but as someone famous one said

Safe sex doens't mean no sex
It just means use your imagination

(Sorry but someone had to say it)

Really moving play that BtP, please pass on my applause to your SiL.

The rise of religious fundamentlism is something frightens the life out of me. We all have our own magic sky fairies to believe in, but they shouldn't be put in charge of life and death matters like contraception and protection from infection...

I'm really sad I didn't hear that, BtP. We did our A Level Theatre Studies group project about the scandal that is Diego Garcia. A brilliant little piece of political theatre - if I do say so myself - based on a Survival International report about a truly 'rotten little story' (as the Daily Mail described it back in the 70s, oh how times change!). On Anita's website it says that the Illios's (the indigenous population of Diego Garcia) troubles started in the 70s. Actually it was earlier than that and it was, I'm ashamed to say, the Labour government of 1964 that started the ball rolling.

You might be able to find the report on The Minority Rights website but I'm not sure.

My mum has a copy on CD. When i remember to borrow it, i'll make you a copy.

Nothing surprises me about what Bush and his cohorts get up to. No doubt the greater being had a word in his ear in the 'any other business' part of their regular get togethers.

Speaking of faith-based initiatives.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/247...volution09.html

From the article...

Revisiting a topic that exposed Kansas to nationwide ridicule six years ago, the state Board of Education approved science standards for public schools Tuesday that cast doubt on the theory of evolution.

My comment...

As the rest of the nation steps forward (see Pennsylvania) Kansas steps back. How sad for the state's children.

saw that on the news tonight. good grief charlie brown



Instead of ploughing money into rightwing bigotted faith organisations, how much better to direct it towards setting up better equipped AIDS/HIV clinics and promoting safe sex.
sorry. what a totally idiotic idea.. that would give people more control over their own bodies and lives and make them less suseptible to right wing indoctrination. They may then start to question the morality and validity of a belief structure that is more concerned with their "moral welfare" than the fact that they will die a drawnout, undignified, horrific death.
silly me.

If only we could wall Kansas off. After an emergency airlift of fundamentalist assholes, that is.

Click to view attachment

Hey it is gettting as bad in this country with T B Liar letting any right wing fundamental creationist run a school. A paltry 1 to 2 million gives you the right to teach kids right wing christian biggoted creationist dogma.

I am really pissed off see for yourself here

http://www.angelfire.com/nb/lt/docs/called11.htm

And the last thing we need is ruth kelly gettting stuck into the sex education debate here

http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article....iclenumber=9232

Four per cent of girls under 18 get pregnant every year (the highest rate in Europe) - 10 per cent in some areas. Cases of gonorrhoea in teenage boys have increased by 107 per cent in the last six years; cases of chlamydia doubled between 1996 and 2002.


but then in the grundaid an article on teaching abstinence in schools
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/st...1247548,00.html

The positive message of abstinence is being lost in sex education classes because of negative associations with US-style programmes, according to an educational charity.
Oasis Esteem, which trains volunteers to teach personal, social and health education (PSHE) in UK schools, believes fears surrounding programmes like the Silver Ring Thing, a Christian movement that encourages teenagers to pledge to abstain from sex until marriage, has caused some sexual health tutors to shy away from teaching abstinence.

"The Silver Ring Thing is a religious and cultural model for the US, but people associate the message of abstinence with that movement," said an Oasis spokesman. "So the positive message, which is young people don't have to have sex, is being lost."

Oasis Esteem, part of the Christian social care charity the Oasis Trust, teaches sex education classes in secondary schools based on the World Health Organisation's ABC model - A, abstinence, B, be faithful to one partner, C, condom use for those sexually active.

Lessons are delivered by "associated educators" - volunteers from churches or youth workers - who are trained to government standards.

Ben Wing, Oasis Esteem operations manager, said some sexual health teachers take a "damage limitation" approach to sex and relationship education (SRE). Assuming that most, if not all, teenagers are sexually active, classes focus primarily on teaching the benefits of safe sex without exploring other options.

Mr Wing believes teenagers need all the facts about contraception and abstinence in order to make an informed choice about whether or not to have sex.

"While Oasis Esteem does not view abstinence-only programmes as the best way to teach young people about sex and relationships, failing to teach the benefits of abstinence, like failing to teach the advantages of contraceptive use, only serves to limit young people's choices," he said.

"It is also important for teenagers to be encouraged to think through the emotional and physical consequences of their decisions, and the affect that these decisions may have on their relationships. Teaching on contraception use alone does not address these issues."

Guidance on teaching sex education from the Department for Education and Skills does not specifically refer to the teaching of abstinence, although it does say that pupils should learn the significance of marriage and stable relationships and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity, and the benefits of doing so.

Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and sexually transmitted diseases diagnosed among this age group have almost doubled in the past 10 years.

The Silver Ring Thing believes its abstinence-only programme will help reduce these figures. Organisers from the US bring their message to Britain today, and over the next week will hold meetings at venues in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast.

Using sketches, music and video presentations to get its message across, the organisation hopes some two million young people will sign chastity pledges by 2010. Those who do, wear a silver ring on one of their fingers, as a sign of their commitment.

So far, more than 17,000 young people in the US have taken the pledge.

The organisation has received federal funding in the US and is believed to have the personal backing of the president, George Bush. Critics, however, say funding for abstinence programmes in America has been to the detriment of other sex education programmes, which promote the use of contraception

I know I related this anecdote in the Baseball thread, but it seems even more fitting here:

In the conclusion to a wonderful rehearsal dinner speech, my best friend who was the best man at his younger brother's wedding, addressed the bride-to-be and said, "...and with that, let me simply say, welcome to our family... What I really mean is you are welcome to our family, you can have them. I've had as much of them as I can take. They are all yours!!"

As a Mariner fan, let me say to you Europeans, "...welcome to The Silver Ring..."


Wow, sketches, music and video presentations? That should really energize the teens. I mean really, what teen wouldn't want to slow dance to songs about the benefits of avoiding sex!! And, the opportunity to wear a "don't ask me out because you're not getting any" ring. What could be more enticing to a teen?


Only 17,000 have taken the pledge in the conservative sexually uptight United States and they expect to get two million in Europe. Yeah, that seems realistic.

I tell you what that whole silver ring thing made me want to reclaim my virginity and go for the abstinance pledge. NOT

(saying that I aint had sex in 11 months.....) pass the silver ring....

If you still look like you do in your avatar, that's hard to imagine!!

Just aint got the urge any more.......and yes I am still gorgeous ask BtP

You must be a parent.

yes lots of times over. Keep saying never again. This time I mean it....But I do like being pregnant and I actually enjoy the whole giving birth thing........NO NO MORE KIDS...

As long as you're not Catholic (and even if you are I suppose if your timing is spot on) it is possible to do the former without the later.

can't be arsed anyway

bvut you can't get pregnant being 'arsed' can you?




sorry....

you are indeed!

Well its not exactly safe sex, but it is pregnancy prevention.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nati...86_planb15.html

From the article...

Federal drug regulators compromised their usual science-based decision-making process when they ruled in 2004 against letting the "morning-after" birth-control pill be sold without a prescription, congressional investigators said Monday.

My comment...

Wow that's a surprise. This administration ignoring science for a religious principle? I can't believe it...

Yep smuttmeister is back

This type of sex is not safe -- to one's political future.

http://spokesmanreview.com/jimwest/story.a...D=120705_recall

From the article...

Spokane voters ousted Mayor Jim West Tuesday, ending the political career of one of the community's longest serving elected officials.

In a historic special election, just under two-thirds of voters agreed with a recall measure that accused West of using "his elected office for personal benefit." Only about 35 percent agreed with West's response to the charges, in which he denied using his office for personal gain, apologized for "errors in my private life" and asked for their permission to continue "to make Spokane a better place to live and work."

The recall was sparked by stories The Spokesman-Review began reporting on May 5, which documented allegations that West had offered gifts or city positions to young men he had met over the Internet in exchange for sex.

In its first reports, the newspaper explained how West had offered a City Hall internship to someone he had met through Gay.com who he thought was a high school senior from south Spokane. That person was actually a forensic computer specialist hired by The Spokesman-Review to confirm another young man's account of a previous meeting with West, whose legislative career included votes against gay rights issues.

My comment...

I feel both sorry for Jim West and very angry at him. I feel sorry because our society's treatment of homosexuals led him to pursue a secret closeted life. I feel angry because he was partly responsible for society's treatment. That said, there is no room for political influence pedaling.

It looks like there has been some real research done on this subject.

http://www.adolescenthealth.org/PositionPa...nd_programs.pdf

From the article...

Abstinence from sexual intercourse represents a healthy choice for teenagers, as teenagers face considerable risk to their reproductive health from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Remaining abstinent, at least through high school, is strongly supported by parents and even by adolescents themselves. However, few Americans remain abstinent until marriage, many do not or cannot marry, and most initiate sexual intercourse and other sexual behaviors as adolescents. Abstinence as a behavioral goal is not the same as abstinence-only education programs. Abstinence from sexual intercourse, while theoretically fully protective, often fails to protect against pregnancy and disease in actual practice because abstinence is not maintained.

Providing “abstinence only” or “abstinence until marriage” messages as a sole option for teenagers is flawed from scientific and medical ethics viewpoints. Efforts to promote abstinence should be based on sound science. Although federal support of abstinence-only programs has grown rapidly since 1996, the evaluations of such programs find little evidence of efficacy in delaying initiation of sexual intercourse. Conversely, efforts to promote abstinence, when offered as part of comprehensive reproductive health promotion programs that provide information about contraceptive options and protection from STIs have successfully delayed initiation of sexual intercourse. Moreover, abstinence-only programs are ethically problematic, being inherently coercive and often providing misinformation and withholding information needed to make informed choices. In many communities, abstinence-only education (AOE) has been replacing comprehensive sexuality education. In some communities, AOE has become the basis for suppression of free speech in schools. Abstinence-only education programs provide incomplete and/or misleading information about contraceptives, or none at all, and are often insensitive to sexually active teenagers. Federally funded abstinence-until-marriage programs discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, as federal law limits the definition of marriage to heterosexual couples.

Schools and health care providers should encourage abstinence as an important option for teenagers. “Abstinence only” as a basis for health policy and programs should be abandoned.

My comment...

This is actual science, so it's probably Bush's enemy on the War on Science.

I think the best thing that could happen to this planet is if Abstinence from sexual intercourse was mandatory under pain of death. That way the human fucking race would soon die out and the place would be all the better for our demise.

No apologies for this. Humanity has its plus points, many of them post on this forum, but FFS we just don't seem to ever learn.

Just today I've heard about the impending loss of ALL wild tigers in under summat years - only 3000 odd left in the wild. I've heard about the unending delights to be found if you're a child in Northeren Uganda and encounter Joseph "evil personified" Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army as well as learning that potential pubbycan candidate McCain thinks bombing fuck out of Iran might be something worth considering if push comes to shove.

Why on earth would you want to bring a child into this pitiless hell hole?

Isn't that the motto ,on the 'Welcome to Birmingham' signpost?


Only joking.


If push came to shove, Martyn would allow an unstable dictatorship, that pronounces apocalyptic messeges of doom towards the West and Israel,to become an nuclear power.

Now that's REALLY scary.

Zippy is wondering why KLF is chatting with Martyn in 3rd person.

Zippy likes safe sex, sunsets and French toast.

hmmm french toast. i haven't had french toast for a long time.

THAT may be the funniest thing you've ever written, KLF.

Oh come on now, Mata, his post about the blacks with their money to burn without having to work for a living driving their fancy cars and loitering around the nightclubs at 5am was quite a hoot, too. What is it with those people?

None taken.

In fact it's what almost everybody thinks when they enter Digbeth Coach Station.

As for . I wouldn't at all.

Just look at Iraq. That's been such a huge success what with the minimal loss of civilian life, the rapid restructuring, and the brisk seemlessly smooth introduction of democratically elected government, why on earth would I want to stand in the way of doing the same thing on an even grander scale.

Fact is there are a guzzillion options open to the west before the bombers have to leave Mildenhall and Saudi. The only reason the options won't be adequately pursued is because a blockade of Iran, sufficiently draconian to bring a nuclear research programe to a halt, would also result in a complete shutdown of oil output to the west.

And we can't have that.

This has nothing to do with safe sex. Sorry.

May I just urge everybody to have lots of sex and have it safely. Thank you.

digbeth coach station reminds me of one of the very first times i had sex.. not particularly safely.. so it always makes me smile

Guzzillions of options??? Try telling me five(and does one include sanctions?),and then tell me what you would do when all those options have been exhausted.Would you advocate a military strike ,as a last resort? If you wouldn't,then when push came to shove, you WOULD allow Iran to become a nuclear power.

Actually this should have read ONE.

It's hard work and it takes a long time and the kind of people who used to envisage a thousand year reich and who now advise GWB are not "into" that shit.

It's called diplomacy. Something the Norwegians and the Swedes are exceptionally good at. Something which the British were not too bad at all at so long as the Sun didn't get wind of the negotiations.

But because it's genuinely difficult and requires skill and dedication and because the elctorate, essentially the "christian" right in the US won't see anything happening, it will not be used very much at all.

We'll be told that all avenues have been gone down. But this will be another lie which will eventually lead to another attack on another country that looks like it is a serious threat but actually isn't.

Naturally there will be a good deal of hand wringing and brow mopping and head shaking but there simply will be no alternative thus ensuring that there will be no peace between Islam and the rest of the wolrd for at least 200 years.
Oil will flow cheaply until it runs out and arms manufacturers will be set for decades.

It's conceivebale that Islam will be overwhelmed and to all intents and purposes destroyed in the ensuing conflagration. With the dust settling the "christian" neo-con whack jobs will swiftly hunt round for another reason to justify the multi trillion dollar arms expenditure and how better than to lay the blame at the door of the fucking jews who need to be taught a darned good lesson.

Having done to Israel what no Islamic state could ever have dreamed of doing the way will be clear to deal effectively with the worlds upstart superpower. Which will be to tell anybody who is not Chinese that the Chinese are trying to take over the world and that they are hiding under our beds. Ergo: Set for at least 50 years of war.

War. What is it good for? Well, quite a lot, but mostly for making shit loads of money and keeping your own population working their butts off for next to nothing in an atmposphere of fear and panic.

Enjoy sex, have lots of it, but do it SAFELY!

Martyn, you're actually very Nietzchean.

There's a great (ok, grim) line in 'Thus Spake Zarathustra', when the Sphinx has been asked (I'm just dragging this out of my memory from 1,000 years ago, so forgive me if I get it slightly wrong): 'What is the greatest good man can do?'

The Sphinx says, essentially, you damn fool, you're not going to like this -- the greatest good man can do can never be done, for it is not to be. And never to have been. The next greatest thing man can do is to die soon.

I remember reading that at 19, and just thinking, ..... dude. That's dark.






I wonder what's on TV right now?

As much as I am looking forward to meeting you and Maria when you move to the Northwest, I'm not sure the US will be good for your long-term sanity!! Here's hoping for a regime change in 2007.


Just a heads up that this, too, might be outlawed by the current administration before you get here!!

So martyn says there are guzzillions of options open to the West over Irans headlong surge to go nuclear,BUT he can't offer ONE option himself, let alone guzzilions .He just washes his hands of the situation and says that the christian Americans will not be trustworthy in their approach.

Martyn.I was asking you what options YOU would take if YOU were a 'non-christian' leader of The West. What would your action be to convince Iraq not to go nuclear, and what would you do ,if they ignored your diplomacy?

Zippy does not understand what this has to do with safe sex. Having said that, Zippy would like to see giant condoms placed over all warheads.

Shit. Did I miss something. Iraq is going nuclear????

I'm with Zippy – Make love, not Jihad.

Yeah, wouldn't they first need to go electric?

That reminds me, Happy 300th Birthday, Ben Franklin.

And I clearly, openly for all the world to see, admitted that there aren't guzzillions of options. I suggested one, diplomacy, which the Iranians might try to ignore but would find more than a little difficult if they were being sanctioned by an utterly united un-interfered with United Nations.
China and Russia would undoubtedly fall in with the rest were diplomacy the "weapon" of choice in the effort to dissuade Iran from a nuclear weapons programme.

I've already heard American politicians and analysts interviewed on radio 4 telling of the "compelling" evidence from "reliable" intelligence sources regarding the research being carried out in Iran and that they are certainly without doubt attemting to build a bomb.

Really? Like the one Korea is constructing? Or would it be similar to the Israeli nuclear arsenal?

Needless to say diplomacy is not the favoured option of these whackos whatever they might say in public. My only hope is that the US military, when ordered by their C in C to attack Iran will actually whisper the words "go fuck yourself" into his shell-like. For so far these have been the only people I've heard daring to suggest that to do such a thing would be a huge mistake.

If I were leading a diplomatic offensive against the current Iranian leader and I had the power at my disposal I would immediately end US/UK military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'd actually cough up the dosh my countries had promised prior to the invasions and I'd force Israel, by means of the threat of withdrawl of massive amounts of aid, to negotiate a sound lasting settlement with the Palestinians.

Once I'd achieved all these objectives, the moral legitimacy President Mohammad Khatami claims to enjoy would be weakened. Pressure on his administration would therefore be much more likely to bear fruit.



Pay attention Rob, FFS...Iraq was nuclear but they hid them all in the sand and now we can't find them so they're not.
Iran wants to be nuclear but we won't let them because its better to have them living in the 19th century and being beholden to us for buying that black stuff that comes out of the ground.

Enjoy safe sex. Never shag on the roof of a moving vehicle.

But seriously (not) ... fingers crossed, only in Texas and Utah.