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THE REPUBLICANS ARE COMING!

I am really surprised as to how we are battening down the hatches all because of the Republican National Convention here in NYC. Some of you have decided not to go to Manhattan and some of you have left the city entirely. We are supposed to some of the toughest people in this country. I am embarrassed to see the streets so empty and deserted. There is nothing to worry about. George Bush Sr. is going to let anything happen to his favorite son… DICK CHENEY.

I was so excited for this week because I had an important role in the RNC Press Party at the AOL Time Warner Center. The RNC Host Committee needed someone to present a proposal to the Department of Buildings for the reception. The proposal asked for a temporary occupancy of seven thousand persons throughout the retail areas and the galleria corridor. I wrote up the proposal and drafted the floor plans describing the egress routes from the Center. I submitted the proposal request to the commissioner of Buildings last week tuesday. The DOB gave me their approval on thursday afternoon, so the show was on. At the event site inspection on saturday I got to see firsthand what I will be in another twenty years. Greedy Republican pundits stuffed their faces on everything from shrimp and dim sum to psuedo authentic New York deli cuts. I guess that is their idea of diversity and affirmative action. I was actually on the grind so I had to forego on enjoying the food and all the alcohol. DAMN!

Check out Hip-Hop movie director Benny Boom’s voter registration video for MOVEON.ORG

Editor’s note: My weblog readers are sharp as hell and they responded when I said that Nonoxynol-9 should be blamed for the recent spike in HIV contraction among African American women…

Dallas,
I have recently come across some interesting information that I thought was important to share with you, even though I’m sure most of it you know already. Basically, nonoxynol 9 is horrible stuff and no one should use it. Don’t look at me as a horrid skank, I just think the fact that you can even buy condoms with this stuff in it is absurd. Plus I find the level of ignorance in Canada regarding the delicate vaginal ecosystem terrifying and am doing my best to combat it. All I have to say is, yay for private health care.

This is a World Health Organization article on N-9 saying that it may encourage the contraction of HIV and herpes, doesn’t prevent cervical gonorrhoea, and chlamydia, and causes yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis in women.

WHO officials heard of an increasing number of complaints by women using spermicides and contraceptive sponges with nonoxynol-9 who experienced vaginal and cervical ulcers, burning sensations, and recurring yeast infections.

They are not exactly sure why but they think that nonoxynol-9 can disrupt the epithelium, or wall, of the vagina, thereby potentially facilitating invasion by an infective organism.

Women who use diaphragms with Nonoxynol-9 (N9) spermicides have twice to three and a half times the risk of contracting a urinary tract infection (UTI). The spermicide inhibits the growth of normal, beneficial vaginal bacteria that naturally protect against infections such as lactobacilli and gardnerella vaginalis, thus encouraging the overgrowing of the harmful bacterium escherichia coli (E-coli). Condoms are another major source of exposure to N9. Spermicide-coated condoms were responsible for 42% of E coli UTIs among women who were exposed to these products.

Info from a healthy sex site:
How does Nonoxynol-9 work against HIV?
HIV is a virus that has a fatty membrane around it, just like our own cells have. Nonoxynol-9 is essentially a detergent. Detergents cut through grease, and that’s exactly how N-9 kills HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. But it only does the job in a test tube. What we found in this study was that once you put N-9 in a woman’s vagina, it will also cut through the fat of her cells, which makes it easier for HIV to get into those cells. Women who are highly exposed to N-9 actually show ulceration on the tissues of the vagina, and those ulcers can enhance the ability of HIV to get in. The same holds true for men. The rectum is even more vulnerable than the vagina to the effects of N-9.

Problematic case study from Canada:
Of 64 women commercial sex workers in Canada who used condoms lubricated with nonoxynol-9, 28 reported vaginal discharge, five reported increased thrush infection and four reported a burning sensation or numbness. Another study found 43 percent of women suffer irritation. Dr. Malcolm Potts, Secretary of International Family Health said studies on the spermicide had been very inadequate and more research was needed.

Here is a great article from Wired magazine, which claims N-9 doesn’t do much for contraception either.

And here is an article from the WHO stating (on page 7 of the PDF) that there is no conclusive evidence that condoms with N-9 prevent pregnancy better than other lubricants in vitro.

You say you want a revolution?
Well you know that we all want to change the world.
You tell me that it’s evolution.
Well you know that we all want to change the world.

You say you got a real solution.
Well you know that we’d all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution.
Well you know that we’re doing what we can.

You say you’ll change the constitution.
Well you know that we all want to change your head.
You tell me it’s the institution.
Well you know you had better free your mind instead.

-John Lennon, 1969

In 1969, the United States had a president that was widely regarded as a crook. He put the interests of the campaign fundraising corporations before those of the regular people. Gas prices were on the rise, job creation was in decline. America was at war abroad and internally, as citizens marched and protested to demand their civil liberties. Finally in 1974, the president was forced to resign from office when it became clear that his lies could not be masked any longer.

Fast forward to 2004…
The United States has a president that is widely regarded as a crook. He puts the interests of the campaign fundraising corporations before those of the regular people. Gas prices are on the rise, job creation is in decline. America is at war abroad and internally, as citizens march and protest to defend their civil liberties. After watching FARENHEIT 9-11 a lot of people were waiting around for this president to quit his job.

Folks… this IS revolution, because all that is happening is we are revolving. We are spinning around and returning right back to where we started. The time for revolution is over. The time for EVOLUTION is now. If you haven’t registered to vote yet, or if you are a registered Democrat or Liberal or Green Party member, I am asking you to re-register for the Republican Party. This year is NOT an election year… EVERY YEAR is an election year. ’05 NYC Mayor, ’06 NYS Governor…

The only way our generation is going to be able to break the circle chain will be from the inside of the machinery. Too many colored folks under the Democratic Party’s banner are willing to sit quietly in the back corner. They do that so well that they almost become invisible because they melt and blend into the background. HELL NO! We have to be somewhere that our presence stands out. In that way people will know that we have something to say. I am for the big corporations too. AFC CORP makes furniture for schools as well as prisons. They don’t give a shit where their crappy furniture goes, they just want to sell it. I care where it goes and I want to build more schools.