Creating patient zero...

Back in February of this year there was talk about a new virulent strain of HIV. A new look into the circumstances of the patient that was identified as having a strain of HIV that progressed to AIDS very quickly shows how the media and the scientific community can create what they need when they don't know how the best way to address a sensitive issue. In this case the sensitive issue was HIV, Crystal Meth use and unprotected sex in the gay community. The story was a bit of hysteria but hopefully the communtiy will take heed and continue to advance the agenda to address this issue. To read more go here...

Blog, blog, blog...

I find this whole blog thing so interesting. I read a few other blogs on a regular basis because they are entertaining and visually pleasing. The other blogs I have seen are a mixture of insane ramblings, focused awareness, blatant pandering, militant activism and that's just some of the good ones... I am surprised what people will write about and how personal they will get. I am no exception. I wonder if these blogs are in way somehow visualising our need to be seen, heard, wanted or any combination of the three? Maybe I need to keep reading some new blogs and maybe one of them will have answers.....

Tasmania and Same-sex Marriage

The Tasmanian Greens tabled the same-sex marriage bill in state parliament, on Tuesday 12/4/2005, along with a motion for a parliamentary committee inquiry into the issue. There seems to be a huge loophole in the change to the Marriage Act, enacted by the federal government, which gave no legal validity to same-sex unions. Read more here...

The "Apple Isle"...

Tasmania is known as the "Apple Isle" because if you look at the shape of the island not only does it looks like an apple, but also we grow a lot of apples here in Tasmania and I mean a lot of apples. Because of the distinct changes of season we have apples just grow really well here not unlike they do in the northern states of the US. As I have mentioned previously we are in our first month of autumn here and although the trees are really just now starting to get into the swing of changing colours; the apples are ready for the harvest. We went to the Saturday markets down at Salamanca this morning and bought among other things some of those great apples. I have just made a traditional Waldorf salad (apples, celery, walnuts, raisins (sultanas here) and a bit of real mayonnaise to hold it all together). I haven't tasted anything that fresh and crisp in sometime. It's all about the apples....

A cosmo for Marina

Marina this one is for you....

Autumn colours

Well after looking high and low this is the only picture I have so far. The trees around here are taking their sweet time in changing so i guess I'll have to wait for the one in the back yard to change and then take a picture.