Personal Reflection

Well honestly this research has meant alot to me. Since we started working on the blogs I tried my best to put my everything into them. I wanted to expose accurate, but interesting, information eveytime I stepped on the scene. It has been a pleasure to look up everything that I researched while doing this project. I have gotten frustrated while doing this, but over all I enjoyed this experience. It was great looking into something I feel so strongly about. I just hope that after this is finished someone will read this and get the same enthusiasum that I have. I have abtained so much knowledge about HIV/AIDS since this has started. I never knew this all started in California and New York. I also never knew that Bush had started a "mission" as he would call it, for AIDS in Africa. This has been such a learning experience.

One thing that has upset me while doing this project is that so little is being done CURRENTLY with the funding for HIV/AIDS. People are being looked over because of prices and money. The government should do better with this, but I can't be the only person speaking on it. More people have to stand up and say that something has to be done. More have to come forth and show their support for cures. It was sad to read some of the things I read and saw, but one day all this will soon go to someone's heart causing them to either do something or make better choices. Yet after all this I still enjoyed doing this.

It has been a pleasure being in Shakur's class to explore things in the world like this. I had never thougth before to blog on what I wanted to know about the world around me. Yet in all that we still need to get on our grind to change the statistics that are out there. This disease has gotten outrageous! We need to stand up and protect ourselves. As we see, there is no cure and many people are trying to change just not enough. So until we can completely get rid of this we need to keep ourselves safe. Practice safe sex or abstain from it completely. We need to cherish those and the world around us. There is no time or finances to keep this epidemic going. We need to stop it and make our world a better and disease free place.

Ecomonics

When speaking on the subject of HIV and AIDS finances is a big issue that is prevelant. In order to do research on a disease like this it takes time and also money. Right now times are getting harder and harder, making everyday for scientists and supporters even harder in trying to get their goals accomplished. Today's economy has no time for wasteing money, especially when there are no results coming in.

I read that Bill Gates will donate $500,000,000 to AIDS research promising that results will come forth. This information is extradionary, but the only problem is it will come in over 5 years. It s a great effort but what if they still can't come forth with the results he is looking for? Then he will stop giving money to the programs. Which to me isn't fair. When you are working with a disease such as this it takes time and hard work in order for results to come forth. Studies and studies have to be done in order for the results to be accurate.

Even though this is just one of the bad things right now the economy's entire state is affecting research for HIV/AIDS. When there are no funds period people don't want to work without a cause. Even though I believe people should just try their luck with stuff like this, I f there's no money then it's too bad. There is no praticular thing that is effecting HIV/AIDS. Everything around us is playing a big part in all this. Overall seas, finances are the worst when it come to AIDS research. There is barely any funding for food or research.

History

1981


During 1981 there was a cancer by the name (KS) that appeared more in gay men in New York and California. The disease was usually prevalent in older people, but not as severe. The issue was pressed further for research when I man called and asked for a refill on a very rare drug. This was rare because usually when u used it you were cured within 10 days or you were dead. This reoccurence later was diagnosed as the beginning stages of AIDS.

1993

During this year International coverage on HIV/AIDS awareness was at an all time high. It was discovered that HIV "hides out" in lymp nodes and similar tissues in the early stage of infection. It was proclaimed that HIV can "hide" for up to a decade weakening the white blood cells in ones body. Making it hard for someone to fight off the virus and other diseases. This was a relief for researchers who wondered where did the virus lie while in the body.

Huge accomplishments were made this year in the field of HIV/AIDS awareness. Many countries had introduced large scale screening for testing HIV infection. By mid-year there was over 700,00 cases discovered in the mid-Pacific area. Despite stories and rumors nothing was done in Germany about their conduct until the scandal of October 1993. This was where the conduct of officials was exposed. They had fail to make public some HIV records, and had covered up over 300 cases of HIV contamination in the 1980's.

2003

Reports suggested that Swaziland was number 1 with almost 4 out of every 10 people infected. Then Jerry Thacker, a Christian Extremist who called HIV/AIDS a 'gay plague' was asked to sit down after protests from gay rights leaders. Then on January 24 President Bush assigned a $15 billion mission in combating AIDS in Africa and the Carribean. This mission was called "a great mission of rescue."

Credible vs. Non-Credible

1st Non-Credible
This source is non-credible because it has no known author and anyone can add something to the page. The link is in ".org" which sometimes is unacceptable. Yet there are a few things on this page that would make you believe this page is credible, but it is not.

2nd Non-Credible
This source is non-credible because the domain website is non-acceptable. There are many advertisements on the page. The focus gives me a description of my subject. There is no author on the page. Yet there is a slight source spot on this page.

1st Credible Source
This is credible because the domain is a credible soure. There are no advertising links on the page. the focus is completely on my topic. There is a clear list of authors. The source list is clearly stated on the page.

2nd Credible Source
This source is credible because its web domain is ".org" which is sometimes acceptable. There are no advertisements on the page. The focus is completely on the subject on 1 of the things that I want to know. The authors are clearly stated on the bottom of the page. There also is a list of sources on the bottom of the page where you can refer back to.

Why This is Important to Me

Its surprising that when I speak to people no one personally cares about the research on HIV/ AIDS. The thing that kills me about people is that if it is not personally affecting them or someone they love, then they don't care. There are many reasons why this research is important to me. I am not HIV positive, nor do I have AIDS, but this is something that is bothering me because it is a community issue that is surrounding me and others.
One reason I want to find more research and studies for HIV/AIDS is because I know someone who has died of AIDS, and I've seen the effect it has on everyone. I've seen the destruction that has taken place in their household because of his death. I've seen people mourning over the body of their loved one who has passed because of full blown AIDS. So this disease has trully stirred some concern in my mind.
Another reason this interests me is because I have looked up the studies and seen the babies born into a predestined world of death because of their parents decisions. I have seen the children who have to come into life with a mindset already for death because there is nothing else that can be done. Due to the lack of medicine there are children who will never grow up because of their diseases. It makes me so sad to know that there are people who will never get the chance to grow up all because of a disease. A disease that is so terrible it kills you over time. That people have to see the pain you are going through everyday. That as you are hurting they are hurting.
One reason I really want research to be done is because I think about all the people who are walking around with a virus, but have no clue that they are infected. I think about those who are sexually active, and feel safe with their partners and don't use protection, who may possibly be spreading the virus. I think about my friends and family that even though undetected that may have this terrible disease. As I do this regularly, it only makes me want to know and work harder on my studies. So that one day maybe all this dying can stop.

HIV/AIDS

There are a few things that I know about HIV/AIDS. One thing that I know and I hope changes, is the fact that there is no cure. These dieases have been prevalent for many years, yet no one has came up with a cure. As I researched these studies more I found out that there are many testings going on, and that there are medicines to keep HIV from transforming into Aids, but as for a cure there is none.

I also know that the reason HIV transfers and spreads so much is because a person can have HIV, but it can be dormat. Meaning that someone can have it and not know it because there isnt a trace of it in their system. While this dormation is going on, they could have slept with someone who later sleeps with someone passing it on and on, yet no one knows they are passing the virus because it is hidden. Keeping the cycle going. Then 20 years later after you have slept with a few people and are married you find out you have it. Just a sad situation.

After much research I have learned somethings, yet there are few things that interest me that I still want to know. One thing I really want to know is who is the first person diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. I dont why, but I really want to know this. This is something that has been on my mind for a very long time. Something else I want to know is when was HIV/AIDS first diagnosed. I know this diease has been prevalant for a long time, but I want to know when did it first occur on the scene.

Something else I would like to know is what is the lastest research that is going on. I know people say that research is going on, but I would personally like to know what is being done. These dieases are serious and should be taken seriously. I believe people don't do as much as they can because the diseases are so extensive, and they take lots of time to develop, so people slack. This concerns me more and more making me wonder what is really being done? If anything is actually being done?