[Videos] America Still Has A Lead Problem

John Oliver's Last Week Tonight did another rather targeted piece of investigative journalism on a very old problem - risk of lead poisoning due to the lead content in paint used for older houses and apartments in America. And you'd think that this would be the sort of problem that would have been solved by the "greatest nation in the world" a long time ago, but I guess that's not the case.

Spoiler Alert: This episode makes reference to a 20 year-old Sesame St. segment dedicated to teaching children about how to avoid lead poisoning. And so you know where all this is going to go.

[Health] #WAD2015

As it is every year, today, December 1, is World AIDS Day #WAD2015 and this event feels especially relevant for the Philippines today. The day serves many purposes such as reminding the world that we still haven't found a cure to HIV and that millions of people are living with the virus and need a lot of support to continue to move forward. It's also a time to remember those we have lost to HIV and AIDS and to use their lives as inspiration to push even harder.

In the Phlippines, there are two main parts of thus struggle that are important to remember.

On the one hand, infection rates continue to rise in this country at an alarming rate whereas most other countries seem to have a better grasp on the problem. On average, a Filipino is diagnosed with HIV every hour and this rate of infection only seems to rise. The government still has not undertaken widespread problems to truly deal with this problem given the religious objections raised for prevention methods like condom use.

And then there's the question of how to support those who are living with HIV already. There is a law that generally tries to protect their rights and ensure some legal protections but not all provisions of the law have been clearly defined or put into effect. There's far too much stigma associated with HIV that makes dealing with the condition a moral problem instead of a medical one. People don't need to be condemned for having HIV - they need our support in order to help them have lives that are as normal as possible.

Get tested. Practice safe sex. Treat everyone fairly, regardless of whether or not they have tested reactive. The would could do a heck of a lot better with a little more love in it.

[Technicolor Musing] #HelloPoz Twitter Convo

The monthly LGBT Twitter conversations organized by @PinoyG4M, @MMPride_, @FeistMagazine and @ShakiraSison continue to be an interesting venue for people to talk about topics of interest to the community. And last Thursday the discussion was centered around the hashtag #HelloPoz given it was all about getting to know more about what life is like for people living with HIV. The typical discussion tends to be pretty focused on HIV prevention and not so much what happens for those who have it. And thus this conversation felt pretty important for the community.

As before, the conversation was steered by a series of guide questions for those tuned into the hashtag. In addition, the guide questions were also presented in a way that those with HIV had something to address while those who still test as non-reactive (or haven't gotten tested) also had a variant of the question to think about.

So for those of you who didn't catch the Twitter convo last Thursday, here are the six guide questions for you to think about this afternoon.

[Pink Scene] LoveYourself's Platinum HIV Testing Returns This April

This April, LoveYourself is once again offering its Platinum HIV testing service for those of you who are still in the closet about getting tested. Taking place at a discreet location near Makati's central business district, the Platinum Testing Service ensures that the fact that you're getting tested HIV remains completely confidential. All they ask is a minimum standard donation of P500.

The testing event will take place on April 19 and 26 between the hours of 06:00pm and 09:00pm. The exact location will be revealed later on through your personal coordinator assigned to assist you with your testing. All you need to do is to pre-register for the event in order to set your appointment.

On a personal note, I don't entirely agree with the concept of the Platinum testing idea since it sort of indirectly supports the notion that we should be ashamed of getting tested for HIV and other STDs. Then again, I know that HIV/AIDS awareness still has a long way to go in this country and a lot of education work needs to be done in order to wash away the stigma of the mere act of getting tested.

And a the very least, the P500 donation is sure to go to a good cause in continuing to fund the various advocacy efforts of LoveYourself, which has recently expanded its movement to include Cebu as well.

So be smart and get tested. It's the best decision you'll even make. And if Platinum isn't for you, there are a lot of FREE testing options still available.

[Pink Scene] LoveYourself Manila Check-In on March 10!

Don't forget - tomorrow, March 10, is the next Manila Check-In event by LoveYourself for free, private and confidential HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis-B screening exclusively for queer folk - or properly, "men who like men".

You can still register for the event at http://go.LoveYourself.ph/Manila

The event will be held at Victoria Court Malate from 02:00pm until 08:00pm.

The full street address is :
2184 Madre Ignacia St, corner Quirino Ave
Malate, Manila, Philippines

Do yourself a favor - LOVE YOURSELF by getting tested!

[Advocacy] Project Indulge by Love Yourself

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to the fight against the spread of HIV and AIDS is the social stigma that is often attached to it. Many individuals fear getting tested because of the potential "shame" that they believe will come with being diagnosed. Thus instead of getting treatment right away, they choose to live in ignorance.

As I tell many friends who ask me about HIV testing, we shouldn't treat this disease as something that is distinct or separate from all other conditions. Being diagnosed with HIV is not an immediate death sentence in itself - no more than being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes, heart disease or asthma. All require certain precautions, changes in your lifestyle and on-going medication. So why does HIV and AIDS need to be different?

LoveYourself is one of the many HIV/AIDS advocacy groups active in the country right now and they continually try to find new ways to spread their message by effectively utilizing various social media channels. And their latest campaign, Project Indulge, is certainly something to be excited about.

[Technicolor Musings] Celebrating the Fight Against Intolerance

Every year, December 1 is celebrated as World AIDS Day, an important time to remember the continued fight against the spread of both the virus and the intolerance that naturally comes with it. At least that's the way things are now - with a lot of work and continued effort, we all look forward to the day that we bring the number of new HIV infections to zero and when people stop alienating people who have the virus.

At the same time, December is also a time when Filipinos - at least those in Metro Manila - take time to celebrate LGBT Pride with the annual Metro Manila Pride March.

It's interesting to note how both the fight against AIDS and the fight for LGBT rights have many similarities. Both are things (or perhaps states of being?) that are often met with a certain degree of ridicule and definitely intolerance born of ignorance. Naturally because of its prevalence, there is the inevitably thinking that one follows the other (and which comes first doesn't even matter at times). Too many people think that gay people are worth condemning and thus "deserve" to contact HIV / AIDS. Or some believe that people who have HIV / AIDS did something "wrong" to again somehow "deserve" infection.

But both being gay and living with HIV are not things to be ashamed of nor should these be things that we have to hide. They simply are what they are and until we as a society learn to treat it as such, then we'll never really get to where we need to be in terms of equal rights and true acceptance as a race. Until we can put aside these petty disagreements for those who are different from us, then we'll never mature as a people - or even as a species.

So take this month as a good time to remember the struggles that both these groups of people face every day. Take time to remember that gay pride is more than just a street party and HIV awareness and advocacy is more than taking an HIV test just once in your life. It is about changing the way you think and essentially changing the way we live our lives.

[Infographics] Gadgets Are Keeping You Awake

Admittedly I'm becoming quite the sucker for these infographics being shared with me. Normally I'd ask for some form of compensation to feature content like this which clearly helps their SEO value in the long run, but then again good content is a reward in itself. And when you think about it, a lot of these graphics take a fair amount of research and conceptualization and that has to be worth something indeed.

This time around OnlinePsychologyDegree.net has this rather lengthy infographic to share about gadget use near bedtime and its potential effects. And while we've all read an article here or there talking about this same topic, it's always interesting to see it all laid out in one graphic to help you understand what's going on.

If anything, I do my best to limit my gadget use right before bed. Those days when I do give in and play a few games before bed, I do indeed end up tossing and turning an extra hour or so before sleep takes me. And that's very tricky when you work nights - sleep is a gift after all!

[Pink Scene] Free HIV / STI Testing in Makati on November 23

Love Yourself, one of the local HIV / AIDS advocacy groups in the Philippines, is hosting another free and confidential HIV testing event at the  MEDICard Lifestyle Center in Makati City on November 23, 2012. Starting 05:00pm all the way to 02:00am, you can get tested for HIV and other STIs like syphilis and hepatitis B absolutely free and with assurance that our information will remain private and confidential. The event especially caters to the male homosexual / bisexual segment so it's a great opportunity to finally get tested for a lot of you queer geeks out there.

I've previously written about how we should not be afraid of getting tested - there's been a lot of medical advances that help people living with HIV / AIDS live normal lives and your chances of living a longer and still fulfilling life increase the sooner you get diagnosed. I try to compare this like finding out you have asthma or diabetes - yes you will need to learn to live with this for the rest of your life. But it is not in a death sentence in itself. People stress out too much about the fact that there is no cure for HIV / AIDS at this time, but the same can be said of cancer and ultimately the common cold! But you can't determine whether or not you may actually need treatment until you take that first step of getting tested.

If you're curious about what to expect during an HIV test, Love Yourself also has this handy article to help out first-timers.

Interested participants can pre-register at this link: http://tinyurl.com/makatiSEB

[Pink News] The LoveYourself Hub Opens Today!

The following is a press release from LoveYourself.ph:

The Love Yourself Project, an ongoing advocacy group which aims to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is set to open ‘The Love Yourself Hub’ on July 8, 2012 at 1850 Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila (at the back of PWU).

The Love Yourself Hub will serve as a resource center to further increase the levels of awareness and knowledge, counseling and education, wellness, prevention, cure and rehabilitation of the communities it serves specially the youth and LGBT-MSM in response to sexually transmitted infections (STI and HIV) and other sexuality-related concerns.

One of the main key programs is to conduct HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) with the able support of the Research Institute for Topical Medicine (RITM).

To complement this main task, equally important are the other goals which aim to establish the following: ‘EQUALITY’ without regard to HIV status, religion, sex, gender preference and culture; provide skills training to other advocate volunteers on HIV counseling, HIV health education and management; empower professionals and other advocate volunteers to administer timely, appropriate therapeutic counseling and safe quality care; promote HIV education (e.g. Philippine HIV/AIDS Law) through partnerships with education-related groups and organizations; align with the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to maximize resources.

The Love Yourself Hub shall embrace the ideals set forth by its parent organization – the Love Yourself Project by reaching out to the community it serves by propagating ideas and practices that encourage loving one's self -- to DARE to be oneself, to CARE for oneself, and to SHARE oneself as a way to multiplying joy.

[Technicolor Musings] Fighting HIV / AIDS is ESSE

Last December 9, 2011, our company clinic partnered with The Love Yourself Project to facilitate an HIV / AIDS 101 learning session for members of the leadership team. It was a pretty productive 4-hour session and I have to admit that I walked away with a lot of good information and new insights on HIV / AIDS, its prevention and other information. I feel a lot better equipped to answer HIV / AIDS related questions now and it only seems fair to spread the word and get more people on board with the right ideas when it comes to this virus.

One of the biggest takeaways for me was the concept of the acronym ESSE for trying to figure out whether or not you may have exposed yourself to increased risk of HIV infection. And if there's one thing everyone should know when it comes to HIV prevention, this is probably one of the bigger ticket items.

ESSE, depending on your school of thought, typically stands for Exit, Survive, Sufficient and Entry among health practioners and HIV educators. All four conditions need to be met in order to ensure infection.

EXIT refers to whether or not infected blood, semen or vaginal fluid found a way to leave the body of the person living with HIV.

SURVIVE refers to whether or not the infected medium was subjected to an environment that it can survive. HIV cells do not survive for long outside the human body and exposure to air is particularly lethal to it along with other temperature changes.

SUFFICIENT refers to whether or not sufficient quantities of the infected medium are present for risk of infection. Saliva may have HIV cells present but typically they are not in sufficient quantities to prove as a risk of infection. However any direct blood-to-blood contact is typically deemed a sufficient quantity regardless of amount.

ENTRY of course refers to how the infected medium will enter the other person who does not have HIV / AIDS. This typically means contact with the bloodstream, thus we need to consider whether or not the person has any open wounds or sores that have been exposed to the infected medium.

Image by AJC1 via Flickr

For example, if a person living with HIV cuts himself while swimming in the same pool as you. While blood may exit from your friend, the medium isn't friendly for the survival of the likes of HIV (given the temperature difference and of course the chlorine) so chances of you getting infected by drinking the water are negligible.

Then there's the question of oral sex which comes up all the time. For the average person the risk is very low since there are no immediate entry points for the infected semen to penetrate and your stomach is full of acids which makes for an environment that reduces the virus's survival chances. However if you have bleeding gums or open sores / lacerations in your mouth, then there is a risk of infection, albeit still a lower one.

Of course ultimately you need to get tested to determine whether or not you actually have HIV cells present in your body (the discussion regarding signs and symptoms of HIV is rather moot when you really get down to it), ESSE remains to be a good guide to consider your risk factors and whether or not you should freak out because you sat next to a person living with AIDS at the cafeteria. At the same time, it also gives you a good basis for rethinking how you treat people that you know to be living with HIV / AIDS. You're not going to catch it just be being friends with them or shaking their hands.

Educate yourself and disspell all those HIV / AIDS myths! Being informed is the best way of fighting this virus and helping bring down the incidents of infection in the Philippines and around the world.

Note: In case you didn't get it, the title of this post is meant to be a pun. ESSE? Easy? Get it?
Gah, I know, I know - I should leave comedy to the professionals. =P

[Technicolor Musings] HIV / AIDS Awareness Groups in the Philippines

Image via Wikipedia

December 1 marks World AIDS Day, a time when people can unite and send a strong message of support to those who have already contracted HIV / AIDS while at the same time promoting greater awareness and more responsible practices to prevent the continued spread of the virus. For many countries, including the Philippines, December is also AIDS Awareness Month. The most well-known image associated with the HIV / AIDS advocacy movement is the red ribbon.

It's interesting to note that there seems to be a bit of an increase of HIV / AIDS advocacy groups and movements in the country - something that can be inevitably connected to the continued rise of reported cases in the country despite the global reduction in the growth rate of infections. The statistics are pretty alarming, and I don't see the need to re-state them right now. Regardless of the numbers, HIV / AIDS will always be a very serious concern for the LGBT community and all those who practice unsafe sex and the sharing of needles and other infection risks.

I've previously written about the "fear" or "stigma around getting tested for HIV / AIDS as my own little bid to start promoting HIV / AIDS awareness and responsibility, but of course there's a lot more that can be done to effectively fight this and get the community back on the right track.

With the 2011 Manila Pride March having completed yesterday, this seems as good a time as any to try and document some of the more prevalent / visible HIV / AIDS advocacy / support groups out there for those who are looking for ways to get involved in the fight against HIV / AIDS.

[Technicolor Musings] The Fear Of Getting Tested

I'm pretty sure that it's universally accepted that HIV / AIDs is pretty damn scary. Everyone who has engaged in sexual activity has probably thought about it at least once, perhaps more so if you're a gay man. Or among men who have sex with men, if you're the type who rejects gender labels and identification with roles of sexual orientation. After all, gay sex has just about 0% risk of pregnancy and thus the need for condoms generally gets thrown out the window by a significant portion of the sexually active queer population.




HIV testing awareness ad campaign by Narisa Spaulding via Flickr.

In my previous 7+ year relationship, I had never gotten tested for HIV. I could claim that it just never came up in our discussions or the fact that we were a monogamous couple, but of course those reasons won't stand up in court. Heck, I can't look you in the eye and say it was a strictly monogamous relationship since we did involve a few others in terms of our "activities".

So when I finally got tested for HIV for the very first time in my life with my current partner, I admit it was scary. As much as I knew that my chances seemed small, naturally the risk factors where still present in both of our histories. While we all do our best to keep safe, everyone slips up at least once or twice in their lives.

[Philippines] No More Smoking at Starbucks

As based on notices posted at branches nationwide, Starbucks Philippines has announced that all of their branches will become smoke-free starting June 27. This is in support of the recent MMDA push to enforce RA 9211 by banning smoking in areas like schools, hospitals and all major and secondary roads including bus terminals and waiting sheds.



Untitled by Doun Dounell via Flickr.

Naturally the announcement has been received with mixed reactions by the smokers and non-smokers everywhere, with the usual cries of outrage and how this will be the "end of Starbucks".

[Philippines] I Support The RH Bill

One of the major controversies that has rocked the local media scene is the pending Reproductive Health Bill(s) pending in both Congress and the Senate. As a country that is normally touted as a predominantly Catholic one, the Philippines is an odd mix of modernist Western thinking and values interlaced with rigid Catholic or Christian doctrine. The two sides tend to come into conflict with one another more often than not and this issue is a clear example of that.


Smokey Mountain II by Simon Oosterman via Flickr.

Admittedly, I no longer identify myself as being Catholic. Instead I choose to state that I'm agnostic at best - I believe in the existence of a superior power (or powers) but I don't think that a human-defined religious organization can clearly speak for said power. In this light, I do not represent the statistical majority of the population of the Philippines. But as an individual, a Filipino citizen and a free-thinker in my own right, I thought it best to make a firm stand on this issue.

[Health] Free HIV Testing Centers In Metro Manila

The Take the Test Project has published a list of a number of safe, quick and reliable Free HIV testing centers around Metro Manila for those who want to get in the habit. The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world where HIV cases continue to rise dramatically and we should all do our part to remain in-the-know about what HIV is, what the risks are and how to seek out treatment in case of infection.



The Geeky Guide firmly supports HIV awareness programs like this and we felt it important enough to re-publish the list of centers for those looking for a place to go for quick and confidential results.

MANILA:
Manila Social Hygiene Clinic - Manila Health Department, 2nd Floor of 208 Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00am - 02:00pm

QUEZON CITY:
Batasan Social Hygiene Clinic - G/F Batasan Hills Super Health Center Bldg,IBP Road Batasan Hills, Quezon City. Open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00am - 02:00pm

Project 7 Social Hygiene Clinic - Bansalangin St., Teachers Village, Quezon City (near SM North Edsa). Open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00am - 03:00pm.

Bernardo Social Hygiene Clinic - 2nd Flr Bernardo SHC, Cubao, Quezon City (near Ramon Magsaysay High School). Opem from Mondays to Fridays from 08:00am - 03:00pm.

PASAY:
Pasay Social Hygiene Clinic - Pasay City Hall, F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. Open Mondays to Fridays from 09:00am - 11:00am.

CALOOCAN:
Caloocan Social Hygiene Clinic - Caloocan City Hall, A.Mabini Ave., Caloocan City. Open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00am - 03:00pm.

If you've never been tested and wondering whether or not you should, then it's definitely time you did. Bring a friend to make the trip a little easier but don't delay any further. It'll change your life, believe me.

UPDATE: June 24, 2011: Migs, the Manila Gay Guy has posted a great list of HIV testing centers nationwide, to help those outside of Metro Manila.

[Pink Culture] Should Dance Clubs Be Non-Smoking?

I don't smoke. Never have and probably never will given my asthma. And yet I have to admit that there's a certain allure to the practice amid all the bad smoke. Maybe that's just years of media programming speaking through me with the classic image that "smoking is cool", or maybe it is a personal preference that I'll never be able to explain.


Hunters Gay Nightclub in Elk Grove, the suburbs of Chicago by Fausto Fernos / feastoffun.com via Flickr.

When I started hitting the local LGBT club scene in 2003, smoking was very much a part of it. The old BED Malate was a very small fraction of the sprawling complex of sorts that it is now and was a firetrap given the tight spaces and narrow entry and exit points. And yet it was a heck of a lot of fun despite the sweltering heat, lack of personal space and a lot of smoke everywhere. I guess something clicked during those years and the concept of a bar allowing smoking became part of the image in my head.

And so it was terribly ironic when I chanced upon a tweet the other week that had one guy describing BED as "a non-smoking bar in Malate", which isn't necessarily 100% accurate since they have a smoking area at the rooftop. But still, the notion just made me want to laugh - BED is now a non-smoking bar! For the most part, this statement is indeed true given BED's post-fire renovation. (And no, the fire was not related to cigarettes).

But as you look around and really think about this sort of thing, there may be more to this whole reasoning. Why do I feel so strongly about the right to smoke in a dance club when (1) I don't smoke, (2) smoke drives my asthma nuts and (3) all the usual health reasons? I don't think I'll come to a final answer within this post, but feel free to come along for the ride as I try to analyze all this.

[Technicolor Musings] Male Massage, But Hold The ES Please!

Image via WikipediaMy partner introduced me to the wonderful world of massages and health spas when we first started going out. Admittedly, it's a highly self-indulgent activity that I've really come to enjoy over the course of our one year+ of being together, yet one that I share with him. How I managed to survive on this planet for more than a quarter of a century without going for a full spa venture is beyond me, and I'm supposed to gay after all, right? That is, of course,if you buy into the stereotype that the two are synonymous.

I have to admit that a lot of my initial hestitation about going to spas is the bad reputation a lot of these places get because all those stories about "happy endings" and "extra services". Movies and TV shows love indulging in such fantasies and quite a number of pornographic films have exploited the concept extensively. It's not exactly a huge leap in logic, I have to admit. You have a person mostly naked on a massage bed. Add in a skilled masseur with obviously strong and dexterous hands. And then you add in the gay element and there you go.

As part of my initial foray into massage services and health spas, there has come the inevitable stigma when it comes to looking for male massage therapists. For some reason, this is synonymous to looking for a hook-up of some kind, or at the very least a hand job. What the hell, right? The notion appalled me, especially since I was now part of this sub-section of the population that gets massages. But as I started to explore the world further, I can see it's not just a local misconception (like how we confuse the use of the term "bisexual").

[Viral Video Chart] Pop Corn With Cell Phones

This video and variations thereof have been making the rounds of the internet as of late. I mean, sure, we all know mobile phones emit certain bands of radiation that are potentially harmful and such, but then after seeing this, you have to wonder how smart it is to have these things constantly near our heads.


#4 - Pop corn with cell phones !

[Health] Sugar Alternatives Can Make You Fat

Sugar Free Goodies by mrs.McD.

In these sometimes horrifically modern times, we've found ways to cheat our bodies with the advent of sugar-free, fat-free, salt-free, MSG-free and whatever-free goods in order to promote "healthier" living through modern chemistry. At one time or another, we've all ventured into products like this in an effort to get a better grip on our eating habits and our weight without going the slower traditional methods of a balanced diet and exercise.

I've always felt that if you leave scientists along long enough, they're bound to create studies about pretty much anything. Now there's a study out that appears to indicate that sugar substitutes might not be all that and may actually lead to weight gain. Seems surreal? I know it was bad enough that they're possibly carcinogenic, but now they can't even perform one of their primary functions in life?

In a TIME Magazine article, the details of a Purdue University study were discussed and frankly I found the whole thing fascinating. The gist of it is that two separate groups of rats were fed different diets - one with regular sweeteners and another with artificial ones and their eating habits were observed.

The end result is that the rats of artificial sweeteners were discovered to eat more and thus gained more weight. This was attributed to the fact that perhaps on the biological level, our bodies are hardwired into thinking that the taste of sweetness is linked to higher calories and our bodies prepare to digest and process higher amounts of calories when we eat sweet foods. However artificial sweeteners only have the sweet taste but none of the calories, and thus our body is left prepared for nothing. The alternative becomes driving us to look for other sources of calories.

The findings seem highly related to a study by the University of Alberta that was centered around diet foods in general and how the same behavior was observed - when we eat empty foods, our bodies send us off in search of the "missing" calories.

Now overall, this is not to say that sugar alternatives and diet foods are bad. It's just that there are natural consequences that come out because of them and we need to be sure to be ready for them. Less sugar in our diets in definitely healthier in order to prevent diabetes and diet foods do help us curb certain cravings without the high calorie pay off after all. Just remember that if you find yourself hungrier, then it's because of the foods we've chosen to include in our diets and this just might not work to our advantage.