Democratic platform: healthcare

Good points all, and I agree that if Gephardt's forces a focus on the part of all candidates onto this issue, something good might finally come of it. And I hope Mamaj won big at poker so the rest of us don't have to share in the enormous costs of the pharmaceuticals prescribed to clear all that poison out of her system, etc. etc.

When I was in my twenties, I already knew that I didn't want to live forever or spend any part of my life attached permanently to machines. What I'm advocating is not euthenasia but a wide variety of choices -- a large menu -- we healthcare consumers can choose from including assisted dying when the time comes. Some of us want to make sure we have state-of-the-art medical care available to us 24/7; some of us (I'm in this group) prefer to work much of our healthcare out ourselves, would like to rely as little as possible on doctors and Big Pharma. The first is the filet mignon choice, the second is the plate of sprouts and tofu. We contribute to our care according to the kind of care we want and our society makes that contribution as simple and easy as possible (not as difficult and bureacracy-ridden and rife with corruption as it is now). Included in healthcare would be the expenses of specific "fringe" medical consulting and procedures, exercise and rehab, and everything which goes into taking care of oneself physically, psychologically, and medically. That's what I want, and I don't see that it would be hard to achieve, nor should it be difficult to allow people to change their care expectations if they want to -- switch from one "plan" to another.

PS -- When I lived in Austin, where there was a Popeye, I used to go by occasionally and take out deep-fried liver 'n' gizzards. Bet that's a southern thing -- or do the NE Popeyes have them too? Talk about damaging fast food!

I have an absolute THING for fried chicken livers!!!!!


(just thought I'd share that)

Snood's link gave me hope for the Democrats in next year's national election. Without a change in the administration, our health care system will continue along the path of inadequacy and corruption, as well as our civil rights, etc., etc.

Unfortunately, the links on both Canada's site and the US site don't all show up when I copy and paste them. All I can say is that Canada makes it easy and nonthreatening to find out about anything having to do with sex and the prevention of STD's and provides plenty of information on the use of condoms in a managable format.

I've been reading about the change to conservatism in our health care system, especially in sex education for teens. Below are examples of internet sites provided by Canada and by the CDC of the US. Compare the differences in user friendliness between Canada and the US. How can we ever hope to have a working health care system if the administration finds sex so difficult to talk about, making it as unfriendly and boring as possible for teens?

Below that is a little link to a video put out by the French on the use of condoms. I find it hilarious, but some might find it to be offensive, so please be forewarned. Not surprisingly, the French don't need words to get the point across.
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Canada's site:

What you need to know about STI - Sexually Transmitted Infections
24 Pages - 523 KB
in PDF Format

HOW TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Sex is a normal and healthy part of our lives
How to know if you have an infection
What are my chances of catching an STI?
No STI for me!
How does STI spread?

Types of STI:

chlamydia
gonorrhea
trichomonas
pubic lice and scabies
genital herpes
genital warts (HPV)
hepatitis B
syphilis
HIV/AIDS


How to use a condom
Condom chat
Use of a Male Condom
Use of a Female Condom
Where to go for help

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[Next]

The Crown copyright illustrations are reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

The Division of Sexual Health Promotion and STD Prevention and Control, Health Canada, wishes to acknowledge the expert assistance received from STI professionals across Canada in the development of this booklet.

Aussi disponible en français sous le titre « Ce qu'il faut savoir au sujet des ITS. Les infections transmises sexuellement ».

It can also be made available in alternative formats upon request.

Published by authority of the Minister of Health

===============================================
The US site from the CDC:

What's New | Index | Search | Contact Us
Topics
About the Division
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CDC NPIN
NCHSTP
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State Public Health Dept.
Subscriptions
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Facts & Information

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Information Gonorrhea
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) HIV/AIDS and STDs
Chlamydia Syphilis
Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus HSV) Trichomoniasis
Genital Warts (Human Papillomavirus HPV)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Information

Male Latex Condoms and Sexually Transmitted Disease - a fact sheet for Public Health Personnel (January 23, 2003)
Trends in Sexual Risk Behaviors Among High School Students --- United States, 1991--2001 - MMWR (September 27, 2002)
2002 Treatment Guidelines
Evaluation of Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Practices for Male Patients With Urethritis at a Large Group Practice Affiliated With a Managed Care Organization --- Massachusetts, 1995--1997 - MMWR (June 8, 2001)
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) (May 21, 2001)
Tracking the Hidden Epidemics, Trends in STDs in the United States 2000 - Published in 2000, this document tracks trends through 1999 surveillance data. (Corrected April 6, 2001)
Resource Book of the Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch - projects, research, policy and technical assistance, January,1996 - December, 2001 (in Adobe PDF format 1.8 MB) (May 14,2002)
CDC Issues Major New Report on STD Epidemics

Table: Gonorrhea & Syphilis Rates by City, 1999

STD Increases among Gay and Bisexual Men Reported at National Conference
African Americans Disproportionately Affected by STDs
Most Teens Not Provided STD or Pregnancy Prevention Counseling during Check-ups
STD Clinical Slides - The STD Clinical slides depict symptoms for 9 sexually transmitted diseases. The slides are available in ready-to-use Microsoft PowerPoint slide shows or as individual graphic files for inclusion in slide shows or documents. The slides are for use by Clinical personnel only. To access the STD clinical slides, please request a user id and password. Please indicate how you plan to use the slides. Request Password 0r email [email protected]
STDs and Pregnancy
Resurgent Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Disease Among Men who have Sex with Men -- King County, Washington, 1997-1999 - MMWR article (September 10, 1999)
CDC Issues National Report Card on STDs (January 26, 1999)
Impact of Closure of STD Clinic... (December 18, 1998)
Trends in Sexual Risk Behaviors Among High School Students -- United States, 1991-1997 (September 18, 1998)
What We Have Learned...1990-1995" - Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch
What We have Learned from the AIDS Evaluation of Street Outreach Projects - AESOP - Results of a 5 year study of outreach services to injection drug users and youth in high-risk situations at 8 sites. (in Adobe Acrobat format.)
Assessment of STD Services in City and County Jails - United States, 1997 (June 5, 1998)
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This page last reviewed March 26, 2003

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention

===============================================

The French, on condom use:

http://andigraph.free.fr/animation/pageanimationseb/pagepapabite.htm

Diane - wow!

This is definitely a health care thing-----Fried gizzards and livers? Okay, but were they coated with that extra crispy hot?

Snood - fried chicken livers and onions is even better.

Somehow, I don't think that will make it to any democratic platform.

And just so you know, I'm not going to make anything for my health care on poker. Right now my concentration is on an 11 year old grandson, who will, I suspect, in five years be shaving the edges of the cards and all that. He's a good loser, and funny, and my special pal, and that's part of what I get so het up about. These kids deserve more than we're giving them, and attention should be paid.

But the best fried chicken I ever had was made by my southern mother.........

Males are at their absolute best between the ages of 8 and 12. They are extremely cool, smart at that age. All downhill from there. Women are at their best in their late thirties. Weird, isn't it.

Mamajuana, my mom made great southern fried chicken, yummmm and I loved those black-eyed peas. Why weren't they all unhealthy?
Our children and grandchildren are faced with serious shortages in health care and social security, not to mention civil rights, if this administration continues for another term. The healthcare system is being run by the religious right and not only has an effect on our society, but on those countries who rely on our help with providing decent healthcare and education. It has been proven, although I don't have a link, that girls in a country in Africa had fewer children if they had even a 5th grade education. They had an exposure to possibilities they had never considered and it gave them goals to dream of instead of the usual early marriage. If birth control is limited in our international programs, healthcare will deteriorate not only in physical terms, but in societal terms. At least in this country, most of us have access to health care education from other sources.

Tartarin, that's a good reason to elect more women into office!

snood:

I just love chicken liver salad.

tartan

Best between 8-12 for males?

I doubt it . Male sexuality peaks at about 27 years.

Well, New Haven, one uses men for that purpose later on, but characterwise, they are at their best from 8-12. Their brains seem to work best then...

I hope your tongue was at least slightly in cheek.

Snood - gotta watch those double meanings. I like the 8 - 12 range too, and I don't know about the 27year old peak, but I do know that I think we could use far more women in government. An interesing thing about the Bush cabal - they're almost all one sex, one size, one color. And a lot of them have the same incomes and all that, which is probably why they can't see down to the common level.

"one sex, one size, one color"

Yep

mama: huh?

How the hell are you women ever gonna claim higher ethical ground of any kind, if you're gonna try to pawn off that bogus crap about "men being at their best between 8-12". That's about as smart as "a woman's place is in the home". And it deserves the same amount of respect, and should be filed under the same "G" for GARBAGE.

Well, we're not here to please you ALL the time, Snood!!

(But I'm interested that such an eccentric personal observation is getting so much attention!)

By the way, I'm not "you women"!

Snood sometimes employs the heavy artillery when a lighter tool would be equallly effective, Tartarin, if not more so...

D': Gosh, I wish I had said that.