Culture War...

 

tRump's maga has declared a culture war on anything they see as DEI.  They will use it justify harming anyone or anything.  Unfortunately that included the war on HIV.   These cuts aren't just to PEPFAR & other overseas projects.  They include domestic programs for awareness, testing, treatment & prevention.   

maga's actions could very well lead to a reality where HIV is as dangerous as it was decades ago.   These people's actions aren't out of some profound need to protect themselves from some imaginary boogeyman.  These directives are meant cause harm, mayhem, degradation & even death.  maga is vile.

My hope is that every single person who supported this movement gets this illness & has no means of dealing with it.  Let them & theirs know the horrors of what unmitigated HIV can be.  They deserve it.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Not Just The Meds...

 

With all the funding cuts being made to the fight against HIV, most people focus on the medications.  While the drugs are in some ways paramount, they're not the only thing getting cut.  There are all the peripheries as well; labs, case management, consultations, referrals & various support matters.

When these cuts happen, it impacts everything in the situation, not just the meds.  Including all the people working in these places livelihoods.  There are many services outside of the clinic also feeling these cuts such as housing, financial & food assistance programs.  Which are all being slashed.  

Still there is another thing, perhaps more damaging.  For many these cuts will lead to increased isolation.  For some, the only people interacting with them at all were workers who now have no funds to help.  Many of these workers themselves may now be in need of assistance after losing their employment with these programs.  

Yes, the meds are getting cut.  Services are being gutted.   For some, the isolation may be the worst of it.  For these people, it could mean suffering, starving & dying alone.  That's what the orange bastard's cuts are doing.

Cya...

Not Optimum & The Stupid Orange...

 

I was actually having a decent day yesterday & then it rained & we had to go shopping.  Walmart's parking lot was mostly fenced off so they could repave.  The open part was packed.  For some reason, with the parking lot, twice the shoppers seemed to be there.  

It was not fun.  But still, I was having an OK day.  I guess that was just too much for things.  About 5:30, the internet went down & stayed out until this morning.  Something just had to keep pulling at the threads & my decent day unraveled.  Maybe I'm just not supposed to have those.

I found an article that continues to show monstrous nature of the orange bastard & his ilk.  tRump has signed an executive order to end all AIDS funding to South Africa.  In this country where a rich, white minority created apartheid, a situation that's impact is still felt today, the orange feels white people are being treated badly.  There is no evidence of this.  White people are no longer being treated like nobility.  This is the country where some of the richest, white people come from like Elon Musk.

tRump also says it's because they opposed Israel's war, that they country shouldn't be helped.  The promise of US AIDS funds has been broken.  The administration may single-handedly bring back the HIV epidemic of the 80s.  Way to go MAGA.

Cya...

PS - It's the last day of Spring 2026 & it might find some sunlight sometime today, maybe not.  Spring was not a great season for me.

Not a Good Friday...

 

This isn't a good morning.  There's a more talk of HIV funding getting further cut.  There's also the chance they could require HIV+ work requirements to get medicaid.   I'm not sure what this will mean for me.  Of course they aren't giving the choice to end it all.  I think with the way things are, a lot of people might choose that option.  

It's a crappy dark morning & it's like I feel every miserable cloud.  I don't think I'm getting over SAD ever.  I hate waking up so damned much.  It's in the top worst things I ever do.   It takes me hours just to be functional & then more time to feel normal.  By then, it's getting dark again.  Things aren't & probably won't ever get better.

There's errands & bills to handle.  Take care.

Cya...

Missing Articles...

 

There haven't been many articles in a while.  Those that do get posted are mostly rehash & restatements.  This happens sometimes, but this time is different.  The dearth of HIV news seems to be due to a single factor, funding.  

Ever since tRump started screwing with monies that weren't his to handle; treatment, testing, outreach & research have begun to wither.  It's not just HIV, many areas of medicine are feeling it.  While the orange asshat may have led the charge, it's congress' fault for not doing more.  

Let's be clear, if you support tRump, MAGA, MAHA or  their other enablers, you are part of the problem.  You are helping to harm people.  Don't ever consider yourself a good person.   You're a vindictive twit who wanted to hurt people who weren't like you.  Problem for you it that things like this don't stay contained.  It will eventually take you with it as well.  Enjoy the ride.

Cya...

Maybe It's Time...

 

I try not to get too political on this blog.  I do express my opinions of the orange asshat & his cult of maga idiots.  But maybe I should take a bit to make a point.

Assistance for HIV meds & providers is being gutted in the US.  Ryan White programs are being impacted.  I'm not a big trans supporter, but what's happening in Kansas is disgusting.  If that state can do what they want, then it might spread to others & for other groups.  Some states are wanting the right not to recognize same sex marriages.

If any of this affects you or someone you know, thank the damn republicans.  If someone in your life voted for these people, then they voted against you.  It's that simple.  This is a midterm election year, make sure you vote.  They're trying to make it harder to vote.  All that means is that they're afraid of losing.  

This isn't just about Gays, trans or people of color.  It's about anyone who isn't a 1%er or above, conservative, straight, white man.  I doubt anyone meeting those criteria is reading my blog, so this is aimed at you.  Just vote.

Cya...

Maybe A Nothing Day...

 

I'm really hoping, other than taking trash out, this is a nothing day.  We've been going a lot, the weather's been bad & there's been so many other issues pop up.  The car's at the shop, I think the phones are working & I can't think of anything else that needs attention.  I'm cold, tired & frazzled.  I need a moment, actually a lot of moments.

I saw an article about HIV funding at the federal level.  It looks like good news.  Florida seems to be backing away from mass cuts, but other states aren't.   I also  saw this piece about explanting or the removal of breast implants.   It doesn't have anything to do with HIV, but it was a good read on a serious health concern.  Give them a look.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Jargonized...

 

I'm not sure if this was intentional or not.  But there were a lot of articles out this morning hiding behind heavy handed writing & jargon to disguise they were topics already covered ad nauseum.  The pieces not on repeat & shuffle, were presented as imminent when they were mostly in the research stage or even earlier.  

Delivering half-baked, wordy, jargon heavy pieces doesn't help anyone or thing.  It comes off somewhere between desperate & arrogant.   Some sites seem to be trying to maintain a certain flow.  It's not easy at this time.  Funds are short & some sources are no longer as credible as they once were.  Think sites the US gov has anything to do with or if RFK has touched it. 

Were at a time when information regarding just about anything needs to be scrutinized.  Too many people are putting their "special" touches on everything.  To hell with the orange stain & his herd of ugly pig people.

That's all for now.  Take care.  Just 7 days to Christmas Eve.

Cya.

HIV In 2025...

 

The articles are starting to review the year.  There have been some high points like Gilead's lenacapaivir or Yeztugo the twice a year injection for prevention.  There  are new daily meds being developed.  Researchers have made some headway in other means to fight HIV & it's reservoirs, such as cancer treatments.   

Still, there's been the dark cloud of abrupt fund cutting.  This is all due to that orange bastard.  IMO, everyone single new case or death from HIV & similar ailments is in some part his fault.  He probably gets off on knowing that.  Between his cuts & ongoing combat throughout some regions, the fight against HIV/AIDS could be drastically set back.

There's not happening today, so this is it.  Take care.

Cya...

Cuts...

 

For several months now, cuts to HIV & other medical funds have made the news.  The US is mentioned most often, but it isn't the only government following suit.  Britain has made serious slashes to their budget as well.  

Many are recalling the 80s when little to no funds were allocated to fight AIDS.  Groups rose up to counter them, such as ACT UP, which Larry Kramer co-founded.   They furthered the work of the Silence = Death Project, founded by Avram Finkelstein & others.  The banner is back attacking government's lack of involvement in fighting HIV.    

This isn't the part of the 80s we wanted back.  Until every corporate, war hungry leader is dead I doubt much will ever change.  The Trumps & their acolytes need to fall over dead for any good to be done.  The orange asshat is a pestilence.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Shared Issue...

 

There are many angles being researched in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Improving the means to detect, treat, eradicate & hopefully cure the virus.  Including new & novel medications, gene therapy, stem cells, antibodies, various techniques, etc...  

These approaches vary,  but all share some issues.  HIV is a difficult problem to solve.  Research takes time, skill & funds.  The orange stain & his idiots have gutted funding.  Who knows how much damage this administration has done to HIV & medical research?  These were deliberate choices to bring harm to those with HIV & other illnesses.  

The shutdown may be ending.  I'm not sure what all this will mean.  The timeline for things is still unknown.  It'd be nice if it were now.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

PS - Last night was the 1st night we went below freezing, had faucets dripping & had a stove on overnight.  Looks to be the same tonight.

Please Educate...

 

Please help raise awareness concerning HIV & its prevention.  Educate yourself to be as safe as possible.  The US government & others around the world have limited funds used to fight HIV & other illnesses.  The orange stain & his ilk have cut cash & information concerning HIV, other ailments & vaccines.  Russia has cut back on testing due to financial matters involving their war with Ukraine.  Many countries, especially in Africa, have experienced fund cuts & shortages.  

The only reason seems to be the-powers-that-be want the world to die of preventable, treatable illnesses.  These people aren't here to help you do anything else other than die.  Those cutting medical aid are vile, expect nothing but horrid actions from them.

The only thing I can say is, please educate yourself & be as safe as you can.   I know that's not enough.  But that's best some of us can do at this time.  Take care.

Cya...

Last, Best Choice...

 

The way things are with global funding for HIV, long acting medications may be necessary.  These  monthly to bi-annual injections from Gilead, ViiV, Merck, etc...  may be the only real option.   Even with the extreme costs, these meds won't need as much infrastructure.  Patients won't need daily doses, so that overhead will be less.

Long acting meds aren't cures.  But, if enough people were treated, it could buy time.  Time to either come up with a vaccine/cure or to starve the virus out of existence. 

Even if this is the best option, it may still not be a choice.  These things are very costly & the funds may not be available.  The orange stain declared war on the fight against HIV.  He & his could cost the world decades of advancements.  They are evil & disgusting.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Less...

 

Due to the orange stain, a lot of funds have been threatened or completely cut.  This has impeded the fight against HIV.  There have been articles talking about the impact; less testing, less treatment, clinics closing, etc...  So far, I haven't seen any of them giving actual numbers.  Some of this is happening now, more is likely to follow.  This administration is crippling the work done regarding HIV.

Sorry, this is a bit vague.  But there hasn't been a lot of solid citations made yet.  These pieces are purporting ongoing actions & those apt to come.  I'll try to be more direct if the information becomes available.

That's it for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Increasing Issues With Articles...

 

Thanks to funding issues due to the orange stain, articles have been more sporadic than ever.  The repeat, rehash & absence of pieces has been an problem for a while.  Now, there are more "half-baked" & "too professional" of articles being posted.   

I don't mean ridiculous when I call them "half-baked".  I mean the topic isn't ready yet, the research is incomplete or lacking.   These might be valid articles in time, with more development.   The "too-professional' are those pieces so deeply into the empirical process & professional jargon, the average lay person will never grasp them.  I'm a decent researcher, but some of these pieces are so into their subject language & process that even I have to google the concepts & wordage.

These aren't good articles, actually they're poor illustrations of what should be posted.   But these sites are desperate for content & are pulling at straws.  This probably won't get better soon.  As long as funding is threatened, nothing will go well in this area.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

It's About Steps...

 

HIV has been with us for decades & some wonder why a cure hasn't been discovered.  There are a lot of illnesses with no cures.  Some don't even have treatments.  HIV is a difficult puzzle to solve & there's always the question of funding.  There's also a possibility drug companies don't want to lose money, so there may never be a cure.

When the virus was 1st discovered there was nothing for it, not even a proper name.  Slowly things evolved.  It wasn't until the later 80s they started treating HIV with AZT, but it was harsh & didn't do the job by itself.  They slowly introduced other meds along side it to boost efficacy.  It wasn't until the mid 90s deaths from HIV started leveling off.

I was diagnosed in 2000 & was given 5 years to live.  I was taking a handful of meds every few hours.  They helped with the HIV, but they were hard to handle.  Slowly my meds changed & I was no longer on the handfuls of horse pills.   I was still dealing with quite a few for years.  They took their toll of me; my hair, teeth, digestion, etc...  Then came my regimen of 1 pill a day.  It was so strange after years of mass pills, to only take a single dose.  Even that med was replaced with a better option.

The point is, there were a lot of steps.  Now, we're moving into the age of long acting injectables.  Some are given every couple of months to twice a year.  These injections can make adhering to a regimen possible for a lot of people.  If these long acting injections are given & viral loads maintained, these people can't transmit the virus.  In a decade or generation, if enough people were treated, HIV could become just a memory.

There problem with is what it always is; funding, logistics & willingness.  None of those things will ever be a given.  Stigma & ignorance challenge willingness.  War, disaster & distance are issues for logistics.  The orange stain & those like him will always complicate funding.  We may have the means to end HIV, but due to social, political & economic factors, it may never happen.  That's on us as a people.  If this continues for generations, it's our failure.  We refused to take the necessary steps.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

Last Sunday of January 2025...

 

This is the last weekend of January.  It's fairly dreary out & there's a small chance for some rain.  The warm reprieve is going away for a bit.  We didn't even have heaters last night.  That won't be the case for the next couple of days.  It's dipping back under freezing for overnight temps.  It is still January.

The articles have caught up to the PEPFAR situation I posted about yesterday.  There were some other pieces, but most focused on the pause in funding due to the orange stain.  The problem is the people who supported that man are fine with others dying.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Still Messing...

 

There isn't much in the articles this morning other than republicans screwing with funds.  They're having a tantrum over anything they don't want, including funding previously established HIV programs mostly started by republicans.  Even Trump pushed his on special way of ending of HIV.  Now these politicians are threatening these efforts to get what they want.  Conservatives are nothing more than stupid, violent brats.  

I guess we'll see how this plays out.  Too bad they can't all just die of being conservative.

Cya...

The Why Of Tennessee...

 

To start, the state of Tennessee is as conservative & backwards AF.  According to this article the decision to cut federal HIV monies caught those who were HIV+ or those needing testing, but they weren't the direct target.  Not that the "fine" people of that state minded that them gays got what they deserved.

This piece states the actual targets were Vanderbilt University's transgender health program & Planned Parenthood.   That would've been a loss of just under a quarter million.  The easiest way to do that was to reject the entire allotment.  That makes the rejected monies come to over 8 million.  Those just needing help with HIV matters are going to face a much harder time now.  

HIV isn't a gay disease.  Yet even if it was, that has nothing directly to do with being trans or needing Planned Parenthood.  This is just some hideous group of politicians means to attack people they despise.  Face it, Republicans are a hate group.  They don't care who they hurt in the long run.

Cya...

Tennessee's Ass...

 

According to this piece & others, for some reason, the leaders of Tennessee in their grand stupidity, err "wisdom", have decided to no longer accept federal HIV funding.  State officials sent out a letter to local care & service providers they would no longer receive federal grant monies through the state.  The state claims it will handle the managerial & financial aspects of such matters. 

This will effectively shutter many care centers.  It will isolate many people with HIV.  It will elementate many testing & awareness programs.  The only thing this will result in is more people with HIV & no means of handling it.

This is what conservatives do, they spread their hateful agenda at the cost lives & well being.  People will die from decisions like this.  That's alright for them because they hate the kind of people who get HIV anyway.   Republicans are the party of Hate.

Cya...

PS - It's been a month since Tinkerbell's last day. I hope her journeys are amazing.  I hope she always knows she was loved & was a great part of our lives that is missed.