Te you really do need to read more then the Catholic Spin Weekly or whatever, for your information, for once again its incorrect.

Scout is correct, a similar article was published in the Economist, 9th September 2005. Basically Museveni set up the ABC programme with huge success and the aids rate dropped. Schoolkids were even taught about condoms and in the mid 90s Uganda was seen as the way to deal with aids. By 2003 the aids rate had dropped to 6%.

But then things changed a little. Uganda came under pressure from
the US with its religious prez, so that abstinence only was preached, so aids rates are creeping up again, by 2005 they were 7% for men and 9% for women. Clearly abstinence alone is a dismal failure in Uganda and elsewhere around the world.

If one out of seven of your condoms are breaking Te, I strongly suggest you change brands :) Again lots of spin in those figures, use your little google bar to read up on more accurate data.

Yabby & Scout - if I was to issue you with a condom and invite you to have sexual intercourse with someone HIV positive/AIDS, would you have sex with them trusting just the condom to protect you?? ?? ??

Te, ok I will answer your question by providing you with some imformation that is unlikely to be in your Cathecism or in the Catholic Spin Weekly :)

HIV is actually a very difficult virus to transmit, unlike many STDs.
It transmits best through blood, not through vaginal sex. I first became aware of this when the ABC ran a documentary, many years ago now, about the manager of the Divynils at the time. He married a women who unknowingly was infected with HIV, through a previous relationship, ie. anal sex with a bisexual. He slept with her on a regular basis, yet never conctracted HIV. Philip Adams at the time
made a valid statement "Buggery kills" Yet society does not want to talk about this stuff.

In Africa, anal sex is actually quite common, as its the sure way not to land up pregnant if there is no alternate contraception around. No wonder HIV has spread so fast in Africa.

I'll include a link regards condom testing, but it also discusses trials where HIV infected people had partners not infected and the difference that condoms made in transmission.

http://sqzm14.ust.hk/condom-ratings-95.HTML

Get used to reality Te. Our sex drive is normal and natural. Only
a small % of the population will spend night after night, crossing
their legs for god :)

Te:

Would I have sex with someone you selected? Good grief, the answer is never.

Would I have sex with someone HIV postive using a condom? I did, 17 years ago. Alive and well and HIV free today.

Now, Te

I have answered your question, quid pro quo.

What do you believe is the best solution to unwanted, unused frozen embryos?

Now Yabby

You stated: "HIV is actually a very difficult virus to transmit, unlike many STDs.
It transmits best through blood, not through vaginal sex. "

HIV can be transferred through vaginal sex. It is far more risky for women rather than for men, because of the proximity of blood vessels in the vagina. Whereas, for men, unless there is an open wound on the penis, they are far less likely to contract Aids from an infected partner or either sex, although the same risks apply for anal sex for men and women.

See:

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/phb/HTML2002/june02html/factsheetHIVAIDS.html

"....HIV can be passed on from one person to another through:

* unprotected sex (anal and vaginal intercourse);
* shared injecting equipment;
* pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding (from mother to child);
* contaminated blood or blood products;
* contaminated piercing and medical equipment used on the body."

Safe sex is any sexual activity that prevents semen, vaginal fluid or blood from entering the bloodstream of another person. And that means either complete and total abstinence or using a condom.

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks ;-

Dianne, you are quite correct, HIV certainly can be transmitted by
vaginal sex. I guess the point I was trying to highlight, was that the whole issue is more complex then appears in Cathlic Spin Weekly.
HIV is certainly not transmitted with the ease of other STDs, but debating these things with true believers is difficult at best, as they have usually only ever heard a very limited side of the story.

I see that the present pope is perhaps also more forward thinking then the last one. He's realised that its a huge problem, when for instance a couple, with one partner infected with HIV, perhaps due to a blood transfusion, have to make decisions about their lives.
He's launched an inquiry into the situation, which is alot more then JPs blind obsession achieved. The fact that HIV might be killing alot of Catholics, because of church policy, has finally dawned on them.

I see a huge difference between Te and Meg. Meg was more your fantical spin machine catholic, wheras Te seems more of a nice lady,
most likely brainwashed as a kid into what she believes today.

As a matter of interest Te, no, I am not out there fornicating with everyone :) The last serious relationship I had, was with a surgeon from America. We solved the STD question by both having blood tests and then took things from there... It was huge fun, but her life was in the US, mine is here in country West Aus.

Hey Yabby

Thanks for response. Maybe we can edify the misinformed.

Te is certainly more communicative than Meg - whose M.O. is to stifle debate.

I agree when starting a relationship the best first step is an STD test, then both parties know where they stand.

I am trying to find the transcript of a lecture I heard on Radio National recently about the spread of STD's in Africa - one of the most causative factors in reducing the spread was education - especially for young women, when they were better educated (in general not just about sex) they were better able to either refuse sex or demand safe sex procedures.

I noticed you brought up the issue of school fees in Africa - this was also was discussed as being the major reason for children not attending school (especially girls). Where fees were abolished, education rates increased and spread of STD's decreased.

regards