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6 Apr 2003, 18:34
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#1
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Look! He's Dancing!
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Gawd Bless Glasgow
Posts: 2,144
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AIDS in Africa
This is my speech that I will be giving on Monday morning:
Aids In Africa
In January this year, my Dad went on a business trip to South Africa. He was staying in Durban, a city by the Indian Ocean, on the east coast of South Africa. One night after a particularly hard day, he decided to go out for a walk along the sea front. He had been walking for about half an hour when he heard footsteps behind him getting louder and closer. As he neared the corner of a building and a piece of waste ground, he heard his follower shout “Stop or I shoot you!”. He slowly turned round, holding his hands slightly away from his body, palms open to show he was not holding anything. A young African boy confronted him, probably no more than 15 years old, dressed in a striped t-shirt and dark shorts. In his outstretched and very shaky right hand he was holding a gun, pointing straight at my Dad’s chest. The boy was strung out on drugs and barely in control. From the waste ground a 2nd attacker arrived carrying a large knife. This one started shouting, almost screaming. My Dad, couldn’t make out what it was that he was saying, suddenly the boy with the knife lunged forward, slightly cutting my dad on the left arm and grabbed him by the waistband of his jeans. They were trying to pull him into the shadows of the waste ground. My Dad realised that if he allowed himself to be dragged into the waste ground he would be killed, so he just sat down. They boys couldn’t move him no matter how much they tugged and pulled. The one holding the gun was shaking all over, obviously high on some drug. Eventually my father understood one of the words they were screaming “Wallet”. He quietly explained that he had no wallet but that he had a small amount of money on him. One of the boys searched my father’s pockets and found the 20 Rand (about £1.50). They were not impressed. They stripped him of his new shoes, belt, and the contents of his pockets, which amounted to a hanky and his hotel room key card. The boys simply disappeared into the night with the small amount that they had managed to get. My Dad, bleeding from his left arm and hand, and holding up his torn jeans, got up and started to walk, barefoot, back to his hotel. His progress was agonisingly slow as the ground was littered with broken glass and discarded needles from the local junkies. Sitting in the shadows every 20 metres or so were more young kids shooting up with more syringes. The drugs problem in the city was out of control. Eventually, my father made it back to the hotel about an hour later. This event made my father to realise how bad the drug problem in South Africa is. With the drug problem comes the much graver problem of AIDS. South Africa’s AIDS epidemic is growing at a truly alarming pace. Not only are hundreds of people of all ages dying every day, but, at the same time children are being orphaned. In a society where, for many, basic day-to-day existence is already a struggle, the AIDS epidemic is ravaging the population.
Take 2 countries: South Africa and Swaziland, 25% of the African population of these countries, male and female, adult and child alike are infected with HIV AIDS. That probably doesn’t mean a lot to you, so to illustrate this point I will ask the entire first, second and third years to put up their hands. Now look around, all those with their hands raised, if you were an African, you would be dead within the next year. As if that wasn’t a tragedy in itself, imagine now that you are parents, that you have young children and elderly parents living with you. Your death will mean that the children become orphans and that your elderly parents who you were looking after, would become homeless. Many of these innocent victims of the AIDS pandemic become casualties in a society where there is no welfare state to fall back on. So the tragic death of just one of you from AIDS could mean that your entire family would be lost.
Throughout sub-saharan Africa the culture of the Witch Doctor is still alive today. Local villagers go to the Witch Doctor for advice as well as cures. To maintain their position in society Witch Doctors have to be seen to be infallible so when confronted with an incurable disease they have devised a truly awful cure. Having sex with a virgin. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the infected men try to find the youngest available to ensure her virginity, sometimes the victim is as young as three months old.
In the last 2 weeks we have been preoccupied with a war, which has claimed hundreds of lives. Meanwhile in Africa, most Africans have hardly heard of this war. It goes unreported on their TVs and in their newspapers. They are preoccupied with more terrible, silent and deadly enemy that can only be overcome by a programme of education and possibly our assistance. If we do not realise this soon, the unfolding tragedy of Africa will become far more of a threat to all the people of the world than any terrorist with bombs and guns.
__________________
[22:18] <nodrog> Cock: 8" (20cm) uncut
[22:18] <nodrog> Balls: Large hefty balls, stretched max 6" (15.5cm)
[22:18] <nodrog> Arse: Can take two fists, or one fist almost to the elbow, but slow warming up.
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6 Apr 2003, 18:41
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#2
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Cute and cuddly
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 1,891
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it's their own fault.
__________________
"You're a ****ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood."
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6 Apr 2003, 18:46
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#3
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Look! He's Dancing!
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Gawd Bless Glasgow
Posts: 2,144
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers III
it's their own fault.
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ignorant ****
__________________
[22:18] <nodrog> Cock: 8" (20cm) uncut
[22:18] <nodrog> Balls: Large hefty balls, stretched max 6" (15.5cm)
[22:18] <nodrog> Arse: Can take two fists, or one fist almost to the elbow, but slow warming up.
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6 Apr 2003, 18:51
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#4
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Cute and cuddly
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 1,891
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i was trolling
but the main reason for them not wearing condoms, and i saw it on Horizon so it must be true, is because it reduces sensitivity, not becuase they can't get them. but i'm sorry, they'd rather have a better orgasm than not getting AIDS. I think they have their priorities mixed up/
__________________
"You're a ****ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood."
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6 Apr 2003, 18:52
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#5
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Look! He's Dancing!
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Gawd Bless Glasgow
Posts: 2,144
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers III
i was trolling
but the main reason for them not wearing contraceptive, and i saw it on Horizon so it must be true, is because it reduces sensitivity, not becuase they can't get them. but i'm sorry, they'd rather have a better orgasm than not getting AIDS. I think they have their priorities mixed up/
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That isn't true
__________________
[22:18] <nodrog> Cock: 8" (20cm) uncut
[22:18] <nodrog> Balls: Large hefty balls, stretched max 6" (15.5cm)
[22:18] <nodrog> Arse: Can take two fists, or one fist almost to the elbow, but slow warming up.
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6 Apr 2003, 18:54
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#6
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Cute and cuddly
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 1,891
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yes it is. perhaps it's not the main reason but it still plays a factor in the problem
__________________
"You're a ****ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood."
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6 Apr 2003, 18:55
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#7
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Banned
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: The 1970's
Posts: 549
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I'd say they deserve it, but I think I'd be deleted.
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6 Apr 2003, 19:09
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#8
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Twisted
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Beyond the Pale
Posts: 368
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If you're told that there is a very high chance you will get HIV if you take intravanous 'recreational' drugs or practise unprotected sex* and then you go ahead and do either anyway and then you do get HIV then it's your own fault.
*which i believe that the Africans are
__________________
'I think my mask of sanity is about to slip'
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6 Apr 2003, 19:12
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 8,476
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Quote:
Originally posted by Amoril
If you're told that there is a very high chance you will get HIV if you take intravanous 'recreational' drugs or practise unprotected sex* and then you go ahead and do either anyway and then you do get HIV then it's your own fault.
*which i believe that the Africans are
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Perhaps they arent as well educated on worldly affairs as you are.
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6 Apr 2003, 19:16
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#10
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Twisted
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Beyond the Pale
Posts: 368
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Quote:
Originally posted by Nodrog
Perhaps they arent as well educated on worldly affairs as you are.
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What's this got to do with 'worldly affairs'?
People go to Africa and tell the populace about the dangers of HIV.
By and large the Africans seem to be ignoring that advice :shrug:
__________________
'I think my mask of sanity is about to slip'
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6 Apr 2003, 19:19
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#11
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Angry Young Man
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Mister Cacciatore's down on Sullivan Street
Posts: 7,518
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first "i didnt read this" post in a dull thread
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Believe in me, cause i don't believe in anything
And i wanna be someone, to believe, to believe in
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6 Apr 2003, 19:26
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#12
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Cute and cuddly
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 1,891
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"Poverty, superstition, tradition and basic ignorance of prevention are largely responsible"
Three of them are their own fault, perhaps not ignorance to a degree.
Source
__________________
"You're a ****ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood."
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6 Apr 2003, 19:32
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#13
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Banned
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: The 1970's
Posts: 549
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Well lets face facts. If we do nothing, we save a lot of money, and in a few years the problem will sort itself out. Then we have a fresh new continent to use to make our lives better. It's win win.
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6 Apr 2003, 19:46
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#14
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Super Trooper
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 145
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sub
Well lets face facts. If we do nothing, we save a lot of money, and in a few years the problem will sort itself out. Then we have a fresh new continent to use to make our lives better. It's win win.
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that made me laugh but its sad at the sametime
__________________
What's so funny?
I thought you where saying meow
do I look like a cat to you boy?
am I jump all nimbly bimly from tree to tree?am I drinking milk from a saucer?
Do you see me eating mice?
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6 Apr 2003, 19:49
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#15
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I'm not a poet
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Uppsala
Posts: 603
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Isnt the government over there still denying that its a problem at all and keep denying aid packges? I'd say its their [ie the government's] fault
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'There's no place like 127.0.0.1...there's no place like 127.0.0.1'
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6 Apr 2003, 19:56
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#16
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Look! He's Dancing!
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Gawd Bless Glasgow
Posts: 2,144
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bunga
Isnt the government over there still denying that its a problem at all and keep denying aid packges? I'd say its their [ie the government's] fault
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Yes, but China is much worse. Their AIDS problem is getting bad but the government refuses to acknowledge its existence
__________________
[22:18] <nodrog> Cock: 8" (20cm) uncut
[22:18] <nodrog> Balls: Large hefty balls, stretched max 6" (15.5cm)
[22:18] <nodrog> Arse: Can take two fists, or one fist almost to the elbow, but slow warming up.
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6 Apr 2003, 20:07
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: :noitacoL
Posts: 1,200
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers III
it's their own fault.
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I just spat a mouthful of coffee and cake onto my monitor in a burst of laughter you wank, not that I agree in any way, it was just the timing and the way I read through the first post and etc...
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6 Apr 2003, 20:16
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#18
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I'm not a poet
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Uppsala
Posts: 603
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Quote:
Originally posted by Pyr0 MK III
Yes, but China is much worse. Their AIDS problem is getting bad but the government refuses to acknowledge its existence
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It hasn't reached 25% of the population yet has it?
__________________
'There's no place like 127.0.0.1...there's no place like 127.0.0.1'
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6 Apr 2003, 20:36
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#19
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Cooki-Monster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ireland
Posts: 515
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So your dad has aids now?
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FUN FUN FUN AT PLANETARION
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6 Apr 2003, 21:40
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#20
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Historian
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 960
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It does not help that the current president of South Africa Thabi Mbeki does not believe that HIV causes AIDS, and refuses to endorse nationwide anti-AIDS sex-education education.
AIDS infection in South Africa is currently estimated at 19%. That is nothing compared to Botswana, the world leader in AIDS, with an estimated infection rate of 40%.
China has very likely an infection rate no worse than the West, but until recently they refused to aknowledge its existence at all.
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"This is Rumour control, here are the facts..."
"Et nunc, reges, intelligite, er udimini, qui judicati terram"
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6 Apr 2003, 21:42
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#21
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Clerk
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 13,940
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I'm not that sure what the beginning crime story has to do with anything.
Also, there's a pretty big difference between the more developed parts of South Africa (e.g. Durban, Western Cape, Jo'Burg) and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the more developed parts media penetration (and thus awareness to the war) is pretty high.
But yeah, it's OK overall. If this was happening almost anywhere else in the world the entire focus of media attention would be on AIDS. But hey, it's just a few ******s dying.
p.s. Mbeki is an idiot, but the extent to which "the government deny AIDS" has been exaggerated in SA. The various times I've visited there have often been op-ed or contribution pieces by government ministers on AIDS and AIDS policy, etc.
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7 Apr 2003, 11:00
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#22
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I am an idiot
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,145
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So what you are trying to say is that we should have bombed Africa first?
Makes sense I suppose.
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7 Apr 2003, 11:29
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#23
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King of The Fat Boys
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 3,331
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The Christian (mostly Catholic I think) church in Africa actually discourages people from using condoms. And the Church has a lot more sway there than in Europe.
Pretty irresponsible of them if you ask me.
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7 Apr 2003, 12:44
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#24
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Forever Delayed
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: www.netgamers.org
Posts: 1,475
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Quote:
Originally posted by ChubbyChecker
The Christian (mostly Catholic I think) church in Africa actually discourages people from using condoms. And the Church has a lot more sway there than in Europe.
Pretty irresponsible of them if you ask me.
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I used to live in México. A rabid catholic country. Abortion is illegal under ANY circumstance, and contraception is available, yet "politely discouraged" by the church. More births = more workers = more catholics = more power/money for the church.
M.
__________________
Firefly Oper and General l4m3r - "I Do Stuff"
O2 Rip-off campaign
<vampy> plus i hate people ... i despise humanity as a whole
pablissimo "I'm still geting over the fact you just posted a pic of your own vomit"
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7 Apr 2003, 12:47
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#25
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Forever Delayed
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: www.netgamers.org
Posts: 1,475
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers III
but the main reason for them not wearing condoms, and i saw it on Horizon so it must be true, is because it reduces sensitivity, not becuase they can't get them. but i'm sorry, they'd rather have a better orgasm than not getting AIDS. I think they have their priorities mixed up/
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I can't say I've ever noticed any difference. The main problem with condoms are; 1. actually having them when needed, 2. putting them on ("Sorry dear, stop a moment, be right with you, damn... put my finger through, let me get another")
Anyway, any reduced sensitivity is probably welcomed by 99% of the world's women
M.
__________________
Firefly Oper and General l4m3r - "I Do Stuff"
O2 Rip-off campaign
<vampy> plus i hate people ... i despise humanity as a whole
pablissimo "I'm still geting over the fact you just posted a pic of your own vomit"
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7 Apr 2003, 12:57
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#26
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Bored
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Nottm ->Shef ->Croydon ->Manc ->Durham ->Sheffield
Posts: 6,506
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I blame pharmaceutical companies.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/internatio...899073,00.html It's not just limited to AIDS.
Quote:
The US showed no sign of loosening its veto on the lucrative patent rights enjoyed by its powerful pharmaceutical industry. Yesterday, there was evidence of growing anger among other countries over the behaviour of the WTO's most powerful member, whose opposition has deadlocked discussions for more than a year on clarifying the rules that allow poor countries to break patents and import cheap copies of medicines.
But other countries say the drugs industry has a stranglehold over the White House and is dictating the negotiating position of the US.
The pharmaceutical lobby provided nearly $60m (£39m) in funding in the recent mid-term US elections, helping the Republicans win key seats in their successful bid to retake control of the senate. Now, as one official puts it, "it's pay-back time; the industry is calling in its favours".
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7 Apr 2003, 13:00
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#27
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Bored
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Nottm ->Shef ->Croydon ->Manc ->Durham ->Sheffield
Posts: 6,506
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