World AIDS Day

 

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. There will be candlelight vigils in cities around the world, and news stories to remind us of the impact, progress and work still to be done in the fights against AIDS.

A new study reports, hypothetically, that HIV could possibly be eliminated in a decade if all people living in countries with high infection rates are regularly tested and treated. Which in a way, isn't too different than the message for HIV openness and awareness that our pal Jack Mackenroth is urging with a new T-shirt he's promoting to raise AIDS awareness.

To get a sense of the impact of AIDS in Africa (and to distract yourself from her divorce antics and her Thanksgiving with A-Rod) you can watch Madonna's "I Am Because We Are" doc on the Sundance Channel tonight. It's actually rather well done!

And Bono's RED folks launched a new music initiative and magazine today. For $5 RED(WIRE) will deliver new, exclusive tunes to your inbox weekly (by folks like Cat Power, R.E.M., Jenny Lewis, etc) and the bucks you spend go to fight AIDS in Africa.

Meanwhile, a new public AIDS memorial in NYC was unveiled last week honoring the legions of men and women who have passed away due to AIDS. It's in Hudson River Park by the pier (at the end of Bank Street), and it's pretty lovely, actually.

And how will Barack Obama respond to the world AIDS crisis? The Nation uses a few of the President-Elect's own campaign promises to remind him.