no aid for people with AIDS

I just read this article about how the federal program that helps people with AIDS and HIV receive medication is having to cut back because of economic downturns. I know it could never happen but I wish that pharmaceutical companies could just suck it up and give people the medication they need. These people are unemployed and don't have the money for so much medication so they can live. It IS a matter of life or death and these companies don't care. For one man it costs him $4,500 a month for medication alone, and he is unemployed. I can't imagine it would be easy to get a job if you have AIDS and now because he missed the deadline to re-enroll in the federal program he can't get the medicine. The program is just ridiculous in general, they have to re-enroll every 6 months. That is such a hassle and its not like AIDS would go away within those 6 months. I suppose they have to make sure the people actually NEED the free meds but that exposes another issue. Should people really have to pay in order to live? The constitution says everyone has a right to life, but these medications and treatments for life-threatening ailments are costly and therefore not everyone can afford them. What if this treatment was free? What if the pharmaceutical companies sucked it up and only made a profit on the non-dependent for living medications like viagra and botox? I suppose the drugs cost money to make but its still just seems ridiculous. I guess the people with AIDS or HIV should have been more careful. But for some it wasn't their fault, contaminated blood supplies could have caused it. But back to the original issue, the federal program is being cut in different states who don't want to deal with it. Louisiana cut it because they said the waiting list was giving people false hope. Well there shouldn't be a waiting list and in economic hard times like now what we need to do is stop wasting our money on stuff like the war and focus on more pressing issues at home like AIDS and the oil spill.

On a side note I haven't seen any headlines about the oil spill in forever, it hasn't gone away though....

volontiers

I REALLY want to go down to Louisiana or somewhere South to help with the oil spill. I feel I have to do something or I will regret it. But, a bunch of things say you have to be 18 and every site seems to make it difficult to volunteer! What happened to mobilizing people for the effort and why must I be 18? I'd do it with my mom if I had to. I am so motivated to do this, it's frustrating doing nothing. I can't just sit here and do nothing, whining about how terrible it is. I HAVE to go down there and get my hands covered in oil and get the real experience. I want to wash some birds and save some turtles. Why do I need to be a veterinarian or something to do so? They offer specialized training, but again I have to be 18. What I should do is talk to them and show them my determination, but I don't want to drive all the way to Louisiana just to be turned away for being young. What happened to youth empowerment? The youth is the most active, usually. Just look at the 1960s. I think one of the problems is laws have been passed to keep children from being in danger. But I am willing to take the risk and I know my mom wants me to go anyways.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/05/27/us/201005_oil-spill-photo-gallery.html

^ that is not sand

j'ai retourné un peu différent

I have decided to start blogging again but about real-er things. like my thoughts on what is going on in the world such as oil spills or politics or local things. the old blog was much more "dear diary..." style this will be more opinion/editorial style.