It appears the 'editor' of the HIV support newsgroup,
soc.support.aids-hiv+, has taken on board some of my criticisms.

A "MINI-FAQ" has appeared in the newsgroup which will, apparently, be
posted twice a month.  I suspect some months they will be the only
messages posted there.

And do you remember the "policies" of the newsgroup Brian Mailman
previously referred to?  The "MINI-FAQ" contains this:

"For details on our moderation policies and goals of this
Usenet newsgroup, see
ftp://ftp.isc.org/usenet/control/soc/soc.support.aids-hiv+.gz. (link
can be opened in a program like Winzip) although that document is out
of date."

So, those policies are out of date anyway!

This is particularly amusing:

"It is assumed that there is a virus, HIV, and it is the
cause of the syndrome called AIDS.  It is assumed there are medicines
that can slow progression, although they do have side effects
(postings on alternative/complementary treatments will be allowed)."

So, the followers of the HIV=AIDS=Death religion have now totally
given up on proving HIV exists and causes AIDS.  The whole thing is
now just "assumed."  LOL.

And then there's this:

"If someone wishes to post a dissident/denialist message
contravening those assumptions, they are welcome to post in the
unmoderated Usenet newsgroup, misc.health.aids."

Obviously the difference between HIV and AIDS is totally missed by Mr
Mailman.  Perhaps he "assumes" they're the same thing.

And this:

"The current moderators are

Brian Mailman"

So whenever the word 'we' is used in the "MINI-FAQ" it means 'I.'

'We are a moderator' as Mrs Thatcher would say. :)

Ah, suddenly 'we' becomes 'I' with this:

"As traffic increases, I will put out a call for others interested in
moderating this group."

I think Brian's being very optimistic there.  The newsgroup is
virtually dead:

Eight messages posted so far this month.  Two by Brian himself, four
by George Carter and two by other lost souls.

Two messages posted in May.  And one of those was by Brian himself.

Sixteen messages posted in April!  Interesting, that was the last
month Doug Houge, one of the newsgroup's most prolific writers, posted
there.  On 26 February he wrote in this newsgroup: "All I know is that
AZT has been helping to keep me alive for twenty years and that can be
proven."  Perhaps AZT won the war?

And, finally, the "MINI-FAQ" contains this:

"The rejection notice will give instructions on how to
appeal (write to the team saying why you're appealing..."

So, if Brian decides not to publish a message in soc.support.aids-hiv+
the author can appeal to, erm, Brian.

I think it's quite sad that an HIV support newsgroup pushes one
particular viewpoint, rather than offering a place of support for all
those affected by HIV.  Presumably the lack of messages posted to that
newsgroup indicates others share my view.

I have asked before what interest Brian has in HIV, but he's refused
to answer.  This makes me wonder if he's just another campaigning
do-gooder with an agenda.

Oh, and by the way, the webpage he keeps directing people to,
<http://www.webcom.com/benny/ssah/ssah+.html>, still doesn't exist!!!