I read the news today, oh boy

for those of you who are stats junkies like me, go to this website to view the current HIV infection rates in Africa, and how they've changed over time. Frightening and impressive. Almost 40% of the population of Botswana is infected (population 1.3 million people) and almost 34% of Zimbabwe is infected (population 11 million). So, in Zimbabwe it's about 4 million people in an area smaller than California; 30 people per square mile of land.

In Wayne county, Michigan, which includes Detroit, the HIV infection rate is estimated at 0.08% of the population, or almost 500 times lower than Botswana. It's easy for us to feel a bit immune and removed from the realities of the AIDS crisis. So here's a little exercise for y'all, if you feel up for it, to put a bit of fear and reality in your belly:

1. go get an HIV test, even if you feel you're at minimal/no risk (your health care plan will hate me for saying this). Now you'll be contemplating the what-ifs of infection.
2. before the results come back go see the movie version of Rent. It'll seem a lot more poignant and closer to home.
3. check the stats on that website again.
4. be very alarmed.
5. get your results back, (hopefully) sigh in relief, go back to your everyday life.

yeah, there's a lot more most of us could do (myself included), but education and a bit of empathy are a good step in the right direction, no?

thanks to google's homepage for reminding me it's World AIDS Day.