Act Aware: World Aids Day - 1st December 2010 - Take Action

TAKE ACTION ON 1ST DECEMBER '10

Over 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK and new infections continue every year. World AIDS Day 2010 is all about raising awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV.

This year, (RED) launches the most important campaign to date.

For the first time since AIDS arrived on the scene, we have a chance to realize, in the next 5 years, a whole generation born AIDS free. This goal is achievable through continued funding from the global health community, including the Global Fund.

As a way to educate people about the goal and create a rallying cry to help achieve it, (RED) have enlisted numerous street artists, painters, illustrators, photographers and sculptors to provide their creative interpretation of an AIDS Free Generation born in 2015. Each artist chose a headline and incorporated a unique take on “2015”.  We are launching with 10 artists, but many more will follow in the months to come.

The best way to understand the reality of living with HIV in the UK today is to read true accounts written by people with HIV.

People are often surprised to hear that what it is really like to live with HIV. Advances in treatment mean that many people diagnosed today can expect a near normal life expectancy if they get diagnosed early and take treatment correctly. However side effects of daily treatment can have an impact. For many people with HIV it is the social consequences that can have the biggest impact - dealing with prejudice, money worries or how to tell friends and family.

The stories below have been submitted from people living with or affected by HIV. Each person explains in their own words the impact HIV has had on their own lives.

Whether you have a family member or friend that is affected by HIV, or are HIV-positive and want to tell people what it's really like to live with HIV - we’d like you to share your story. Real stories, whether positive or negative, help build a true picture of HIV in the UK today and increase public understanding:

View real stories from people living with HIV and hear them explain in their own words the impact HIV has on their lives. These videos messages include stories from Gary, Steve and Adrienne who tell us about late diagnosis, long term medication and stigma and disclosure.
 
Gary - Late diagnosis

Steve - Long term medication

Adrienne - Stigma and disclosure

A special message from Annie Lennox:

Now visit these links, please:
www.worldaidsday.org
www.joinred.com

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The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, 
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, 
The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor, 
And the highwayman came riding-- 
Riding--riding-- 
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door. 

He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead, and a bunch of lace at his chin; 
He'd a coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine doe-skin. 
They fitted with never a wrinkle; his boots were up to his thigh! 
And he rode with a jeweled twinkle-- 
His rapier hilt a-twinkle-- 
His pistol butts a-twinkle, under the jeweled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard, 
He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred, 
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there 
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- 
Bess, the landlord's daughter-- 
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair. 

Dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked 
Where Tim, the ostler listened--his face was white and peaked-- 
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay, 
But he loved the landlord's daughter-- 
The landlord's black-eyed daughter; 
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say: 

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart; I'm after a prize tonight, 
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light. 
Yet if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, 
Then look for me by moonlight, 
Watch for me by moonlight, 
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way." 

He stood upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand, 
But she loosened her hair in the casement! His face burnt like a brand 
As the sweet black waves of perfume came tumbling o'er his breast, 
Then he kissed its waves in the moonlight 
(O sweet black waves in the moonlight!), 
And he tugged at his reins in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west. 

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon. 
And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon, 
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon over the purple moor, 
The redcoat troops came marching-- 
Marching--marching-- 
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door. 

They said no word to the landlord; they drank his ale instead, 
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed. 
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets by their side; 
There was Death at every window, 
And Hell at one dark window, 
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride. 

They had bound her up at attention, with many a sniggering jest! 
They had tied a rifle beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast! 
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her. She heard the dead man say, 
"Look for me by moonlight, 
Watch for me by moonlight, 
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way." 

She twisted her hands behind her, but all the knots held good! 
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood! 
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years, 
Till, on the stroke of midnight, 
Cold on the stroke of midnight, 
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers! 

The tip of one finger touched it, she strove no more for the rest; 
Up, she stood up at attention, with the barrel beneath her breast. 
She would not risk their hearing, she would not strive again, 
For the road lay bare in the moonlight, 
Blank and bare in the moonlight, 
And the blood in her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed to her love's refrain. 

Tlot tlot, tlot tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hooves, ringing clear; 
Tlot tlot, tlot tlot, in the distance! Were they deaf that they did not hear? 
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill, 
The highwayman came riding-- 
Riding--riding-- 
The redcoats looked to their priming! She stood up straight and still. 

Tlot tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot tlot, in the echoing night! 
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light! 
Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last deep breath, 
Then her finger moved in the moonlight-- 

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The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding

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First Snow of the Winter ((tags; Photography, iPhoneography, Diary, Scraps, Winter, Snow, Leicester))

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One and a Half Cats

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Germany Debuts 'Mentally Ill' Stuffed Animals

Promising hours of fun for the whole family, a German company has introduced a line of stuffed animals that suffer from psychiatric disorders. There's Dub the turtle, who has severe depression; Sly the snake, who suffers frightening hallucinations; Dolly the sheep/wolf, who has multiple-personality disorder; Kroko the crocodile, who is terrified of water; and Lilo the hippo, who's been obsessed with solving the same wooden jigsaw puzzle for months. The company's founder says: "It started as a bit of a joke with my girlfriend, who has lots of soft toys, and then we thought there could be something in the idea. Children and grownups like their vulnerability and find something in them that gives them a great sense of comfort in helping to heal them." This should go over about as well as bacon sandwiches at a Bar Mitzvah... Funny isn't it? No...

A depressed turtle.
A delusional snake.
A paranoid crocodile.
A sheep with multiple personality disorder.
A hippo with autism.

At first glance, you might think these are cute. But go further and you'll learn that these furry animals are stuffed with stigmatizing beliefs about mental illness.

parapluesch.com - a European toy company - is selling these toys with the tag line "Psychiatry for Abused Toys". On the website, you can play an online game at "The Asylum" and give "treatment" to the toy of your choice. But be prepared for stereotyped crazy behavior, outdated and incorrect diagnostic labels, hallucinogenic drug reactions and the always insulting puppet-sock therapy. Make sure you see the "no-hanging" suicide policy wall sign in the community room. Insensitive. Distasteful. Stigmatizing.

Several blogs have picked up on this story - so you might be hearing about this in mainstream media soon. I'm no stick in the mud. I do enjoy humor. But this stuff needs to stop.

Thoughts?

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Be a Contributor to uselessdesires.co.uk - A Personal Plea from the Creator!

Are you a creative writer? Do you enjoy design? Maybe you write music or perform songs? Maybe you do all of these of these wonderful things? Maybe you don't do any of these, but feel you have something worth sharing?

I'm looking for regular contributors to this site. Once approved, you will be able to publish anything insightful, informative or creative directly to the site. Not everybody wants to run their own website or blog - this gives you the opportunity to post your photography, your written work, your experiences or your music, with minimal effort. Once approved, all you do is send an email from your own account to a special address which will create and publish your content directy online. You can even attach photos, audio files, videos, youtube links and any other type of file or document. I will format your conent quickly, ready for web viewing.

Have a look around the site and you'll be able to see the type of things I'm currently posting on my own. It would be great to have a bunch of friends all contributing to the same site, so please join me!

Regular contributors will also get a mini-bio with link to the work they have submitted. You can see the contributors link in the menu above. Get a place in there - it's empty at the moment!

Thanks for reading, and I really hope to hear from you soon...

 

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Untitled

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Skyward Tree

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Fantasia At The Tonys - "I'm Here"

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Depression - The Deepest Dark Hole - To The Depressed, From The Depressed

It is normal to feel periods of being 'down in the dumps' that last for a short time. Normal life events can cause these to happen. For example, when someone dies or you lose a job.

Clinical depression, on the other hand, is another event, in itself. It does not only last a week or two but is a deep dark hole, a lonely abyss, a black dog (as Churchill once said) that seems impossible to escape from. It is a dangerous medical condition that is caused by an imbalance in the chemicals of your brain. If it is not treated properly it can completely disrupt a persons life and sometimes leads to suicide.

Warning signs that depression has taken hold include being unmotivated, tired all the time and a flat feeling. As the depression becomes worse a person might not even want to be part of social activities that they once enjoyed. Sometimes they feel very lonely and alone, and often become reclusive. When depression becomes really deep a person might completely lose the will to work and have trouble with relationships. They tend to curl up in a safe house and want to not be bothered by anyone. The desire to live a happy and productive life can disappear, altogether.

There are ways to treat depression even when there seems to be no hope left. The first thing that needs to be done is to set up an appointment with the your GP, Nurse, private doctor or psychologist. They will ask you about your symptoms and how they are affecting your everyday life. Depression carries symptoms that are common in other medical conditions such as Cushing's disease and hypothyroidism. This is a big reason why you need to see your doctor regardless of whether you think it is depression or not. If the doctor thinks you are dealing with depression then you might be referred to a specialist for more precise care.

Never get scared about starting medication such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs or even anti-psychotics - they can turn out to be that one little thing that brings you life again. Also, don't give up if your medication doesn't seem to be helping. It might just mean you're on the wrong dose or a less-suited drug. See your doctor as soon as you can and discuss your thoughts with him.

Depression is most often caused by poor genes. If you know someone in your family that has suffered with it then the chances of you becoming depressed are greatly multiplied. Brain chemistry is also a big cause of depression.

Major stressful events in life can lead to depression, as well. Trauma to a child and poor parenting techniques or traumatic experiences at school (for example) can also make depression more likely to popup in adulthood.

Some natural remedies can work really well for treating depression without the side effects of conventional medicines. With caution, St. John's Wort can be a really effective natural method of treating depression; but be careful with this - if you are on any medication, such as antidepressants, talk to your Doctor or Pharmacist first. Passiflora Incarnata has properties that are similar to a tranquilizer and can also be used to combat depression with anxiety. Relaxation techniques can be useful in fighting off depression especially when the cause is anxiety.

Talk with your doctor about some of the many options you have.

Just do not sit idly by and let your life melt away. How do I know? Because I'm a living and unashamed testament of depression survival. Contact me if you want to find out more, or if you would just like a chat, leave a comment below...

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The Most Amazing Guitar Playing Boy There Ever Was

I want an interview with the original genius-guy who created this surprisingly brilliant masterpiece - contact me above - let's talk!

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Dance Fail

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Crows, Ravens & Rooks

I may hesitate, to name you as a swan
That glides around the river bend
Enchants us, and is gone

Or if I did Then I could only do it once
For repetition in a love song
Will only make it seem too long

For heaven is a metaphor
The lovers of the world reach for
And truly, you may find the occasional angel

But mostly when we get up there
Far above the city air
All we have for company
Is crows, ravens and rooks

I may hesitate to say that you’re the one
When others came before you
And more may follow on
Or if I do Then it’s a lie I won’t repeat
Exaggeration in a love song
Will only make the truth seem weak

For heaven is a metaphor
The lovers of the world reach for
And truly, you may find the occasional angel
For mostly when we get up there
Far above the city air
All we have for company Is crows, ravens and rooks

[Sung and co-written by Kathryn Williams, this is, nevertheless, a somewhat middle-aged reflection on the virtues of serial monogamy. Features on David Rotheray's 'Life of Birds' album]

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A Very Vintage Update

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Next Time You Fall in Love (It Better Be With Me)

I guess I'm not too good at keeping love alive for long.
I think I've found the answers but the answer's always wrong.
My first love was my true love and it should have been my last.

The only time I'm happy's when I'm dreaming in the past.

Next time you fall in love,
It better be with me,
The way it used to be.
Back then was when
We touched the starlight.

Sometimes you turn away from what your heart tells you is right,
And so you settle for whatever gets you through the night.
The flame you thought was dead may suddenly begin to burn,
And broken hearts can be repaired, that's something that you learn.

Next time you fall in love,
It better be with me,
The way it used to be.
Back then was when,
We touched the starlight.

I've re-lived every moment that I ever shared with you.
What fools we were to end a dream, that looked like coming true.

Next time you fall in love
It better be with me,
The way it used to be.
Back then was when,
We touched the starlight.

Next time you fall in love
It better be with me,
The way it used to be.
Back then was when,
We touched the starlight.

I guess I'm not too good at keeping love alive for long,
I think I've found the answers but the answer's always wrong,
My first love was my true love and it should have been my last,
The only time I'm happy's when I'm dreaming in the past.

Next time you fall in love,
It better be with me,
The way it used to be,
Back then was when,
We touched the starlight.

Next time you fall in love,
It better be with me,
The way it used to be,
Back then was when 
We touched the starlight.

contra omnia discrimina

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HD Peacock Feather Wallpaper for iPhone 4, iPad and Desktop, based on official Apple Marketing Images

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Test

Ryan
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East Street - EastEnders and Coronation Street Unite - BBC Children in Need 2010

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East Street - EastEnders and Coronation Street Unite - BBC Children in Need 2010

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Widor's Toccata - or - Widor's 5th Symphony in F - Movement V - Toccata

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Widor's Toccata - or - Widor's 5th Symphony in F - Movement V - Toccata

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In Photos: Fog on Victoria Park, Leicester

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In Photos: Fog on Victoria Park, Leicester

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