Uphill Gardeners World

Johann Hari reveals that the world botting community are engaged in a fascinating experiment, whose results may have far-reaching implications for millions of people.

They're trying to develop new, drug-resistant strains of HIV.

The method ? Lots of bareback action with lots of partners, aided by lashings of crystal methamphetamine.

To his credit, Johann seems to think this is not a good idea.

But being Johann, he can't resist having a crack at the evil straights who have created this situation.

"The UK Gay Men's Sex Survey recently found that one-third of 20-year-old gay men do not know even the most basic facts about HIV transmission. Some 51 per cent didn't know that HIV is more likely to be passed on if he or his partner has another STD; 31 per cent did not know that water-based lubricant reduces condom failure; and, incredibly, 14 per cent did not know that HIV is more likely to be passed on if a man ejaculates inside his partner. This is the direct product of legislation that made teachers terrified to discuss gay sexual health issues with their students for an entire generation: there are hundreds of HIV-infected teens whose trail of infected blood runs back to Margaret Thatcher."

Of course - it's Thatcher's fault ! You have to wonder if even Johann can believe this.

What the Gay Men's Sex Survey certainly seems to have found is that a lot of 20-year olds are very ignorant indeed about STDs. And this is not surprising. For had the surveyors thought to ask other questions, they'd have found out that the best educated generation in history are ignorant about EVERYTHING.

14% unaware of the most obvious way of getting HIV ? This pales into insignificance beside the hideous fact that in 2000, 8% of young people could not complete the couple "Posh and _ ?", nor could 7% of them name "Fatboy _ ?".

After those two dreadful statistics it comes as no surprise that 92% don't know who signed the Munich Agreement, or that 84% don't know what the Domesday book was. How on earth can Johann expect them to know abstruse details about water-based lubricants ?


It could be worse though. In France 100% of North African teenagers think electricity substations are a cool place to hide from the police.