I am indifferent to the climate change issue but I am not amazed at the scandalous fraud, after all, where there’s potential for profits, there’ll always be deceit. Hence, I hold no vbrief similarly for the HIV “consensus” nor of the so-called “AIDS denialists”, but I am daily amazed that South Africans are being sucked into a policy measure (ARVs rollouts) with such long term ramifications without serious debate, particularly for a disease for a virus that would stop spreading simply by people behaving responsibly.

http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2009-12-01-Climate-fraud-kills-people

Applies similarly to the AIDS debate:

http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=1436

Assuming a full rollout of ARVs at a conservative R 500 per drug treatment per person per month (R30 Billion, for 5 million cases), is paying R 30 Billion per annum on ARVs justifiable (particularly for a apparently easily preventable disease/condition? Has this issue been considered? What of the impact on other socio-economic rights (does it foster them or reverse them)?

Articles like the below about a report from UNAIDS:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/aids-the-pandemic-is-officially-in-decline-1826914.html

Which states that:”The HIV epidemic has repeatedly defied predictions… HIV is likely to have additional surprises in store that the world must be prepared to address.” Yet in RSA we know the gospel truth, we will fight AIDS with ARVs, because we were told by the TAC that this is the way to combat them!

Sadly the media will not cover issues like climategate, and their implications to policy debates a great deal, because they raise uncomfortable questions and lead us to question orthodoxies (such, what if ARVs don’t really work, actually, how many people have died directly because of ARVs ?). Neither will Pierre, a self confessed proponent of socio-economic rights (his too busy telling “truth” to power), so pass the pills and sorry if you have no water to gulp them down with (the budget was blown to buy the life saving pills) ! PS: Well Done (!), seems “power” has noticed

I am sick and tired of this mindset which says that people can behave as stupidly as they please and somebody else (Government, medical aids, donors, responsible society, etc) must feel sorry for them and pick up the pieces.

Maybe it is time to put out a message which says…..if you behave stupidly then you deal with the consequences.

Would you also agree that if you take the very same HIV/AIDS related medication that Judge Cameron takes and give it to a poor rural person HIV/AIDS sufferer exposed to the opposite living condition to that of the honorable judge described above may often not yield the same results we see with Judge Cameron?

Would you have problem in agreeing that poverty situation caused largely by unemployment which is also caused largely by lack of employable skills, relevant education to job market needs and illiteracy among other causes is one of the primary causes for majority of our rural people to die even when they can access ARVs?

Based on the above, would you maintain the position that ARVs alone are the solution to lengthening the life expectatncy period of ANYONE infected by HIV/AIDS irrespective of affordability refered to above and one’s living ccondition?

And based on the above again, what in your view is the cause of HIV/AIDS and not AIDS? I am asking this questions with specific reference to the South African situation and its poor African people who constitute the majority of the HIV/AIDS infected people which I am at least familiar with?

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20091130_Civil_cases_against_judges_involve_emotional_suffering.html

If you want a good example of what antiretrovirals coupled with a healthy lifestyle can do, just look at judge Cameron.

“However, Motsoaledi cautioned at the time that a task team first had to establish whether the country had the capacity to meet a sudden upsurge in demand for tests and particularly, counselling.”

What bull! The western world has been desperately trying to get SA to act, offered tons of funds, many which were denied and even blocked. I’ve followed this nonsense in SA since 2000.

Because, lo and behold, the infection rate in SA does actually affect the entire world… how much international travel takes place, and now the world cup coming, right, all that jags; as a result the entire world is at threat when a country doesn’t act effectively… Time for SA to realize we’re part of a greater world and global community, right, slim hope.

Even with the recession we have just exited, if SA shows the will, I belileve the international community will come on fast. Thus the quote above is a) not a reasonable excuse, or b) self interested ulterior motives.

And for smug africans who think the whole thing was a CIA plot, try to recall facts, AIDS comes from Africa even if white Beligians brought it about with their illegal monkeying around.

Having the priviledge of working in townships as a volunteer community worker for now nearly 10 years, I’ve had enough of HIV/Aids, and am mostly speachless on the disaster. My years in 80′s, 90′s San Francisco, I thought hardened me to Aids indifference and sloppy ignorance, and yes, the political inaction… however it just goes on and on. Feels like a 30 year nightmare, so far, will it be 50 and still climbing? The absurd public attitudes and general government ineptitude must be part of the desease itself. Don’t we get it, it effects all us, global community, right?

You may not know but many in the west thinks SA’s Aids denialism was Mibeki and the ANC’s deliberate approach to diminishing their expensive poor(to the state) and non income tax paying population. Even tribal issues. Anyone remember what Mibeki’s spokesman (who died of Aids) said to US News re “are you willing to look after all the orphans.”

On another matter, my apologies Prof, the decision at http://politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71656?oid=152981&sn=Detail

very interesting, and a boon to Lady Justice.

Yesterday there are reports that Zuma will take an HIV/AIDS test.
Me says: “Way to go Zuma. That’s leading by example.”

Today, on World Aids Day, the Presidency reports that Zuma will NOT be taking an AIDS/HIV test.
Me says: “Woa oh!” (red flag)

Do I smell chicken, or is it a chameleon I see before me?
What hypocrisy.

We can take this to its logical conclusion can’t we? Or we could let the tabloids do their dirty work for us.