questions

Boy   Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:17 am GMT
1. I was watching a movie called "philadelphia". Tom Hanks played a main role and in the movie he was diagnosed with HIV. I didn't understand a medical term which so many people were speaking. What were 'redish spots' that appeared on his skin once he got HIV.? Illusions???


2. In the united states, when people drive a car while being drunk. They are stopped by street cops. They are gone through a test. For example, they are forced to count from 10-1 or read backward English alphabets.
which test is called? sorarity test???


thanks
The Swede   Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:26 am GMT
Strange test, Why not take blood tests instead of that stupid test!?
Mxsmanic   Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:46 am GMT
Reddish spots could be anything; it's a very generic term that covers any type of skin lesion that produces rounded red areas on the skin.

The test for alcohol intoxication is called a sobriety test (sobriety = the state of not being intoxicated). Certain operations are very difficult to perform when a person is incapacitated by alcohol; in sobriety tests persons are asked to carry out these operations, and if they are unable to do so, they are presumed to be under the influence of alcohol and more specific tests are performed to verify their condition.

Blood tests are not used in the field by police officers because they require special training and sterile conditions, and this isn't very practical on the street. However, sometimes suspects who have failed a sobriety and/or breathalyzer test (the latter being a test for alcohol in expired air) may undergo a blood test conducted by a doctor or nurse at a police station to verify the exact alcohol content of the blood, which is what determines the level of incapacity and the legal consequences.
Paul   Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:26 am GMT
The spots were being called "Lesions" (lee-zhens), sorry, I don't know the pronunciation key used here). This was likely the term you though you might have heard a "illusions"
D   Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:05 am GMT
>> However, sometimes suspects who have failed a sobriety and/or breathalyzer test (the latter being a test for alcohol in expired air) may undergo a blood test conducted by a doctor or nurse at a police station to verify the exact alcohol content of the blood, which is what determines the level of incapacity and the legal consequences. <<

This is standard policy in many areas of the US.
Frances   Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:46 am GMT
I think you are thinking of Karposi's Sarcoma for the spots - a type of cancer that AIDS sufferers get.

The test I think is the Sobriety Test - I think there is an amendment in the US Consitution that prevents bodily invasion, hence no blood tests for any investigations.
Travis   Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:56 am GMT
Frances, I know that they definitely do blood tests and like for such things, but the main thing is that it just isn't practical to do such things in the field, and hence in the field the less accurate Breathalyzer tests're used instead.
Frances   Sun Aug 14, 2005 4:10 am GMT
They dont do blood tests here either just Breathalyse as well. But I thought Breathalyser was also not allowed in the US because it was "invasive"
Kirk   Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:03 am GMT
I hadn't heard about the Breathalyzer being invasive--I think it's pretty regularly used if they need it. I was stopped once and had to walk in a straight line and they looked at my eyes, because if you're trained right you can tell if someone's intoxicated by how quickly their eyes respond to light and movement. They didn't pull out the Breathalyzer on me tho. Anyway, I hadn't been drinking so I was let go (I was stopped because my lights weren't working right), but it was an interesting experience.
Travis   Sun Aug 14, 2005 7:52 am GMT
Frances, the Breathalzer is most definitely used a *lot*, to say the least, here in the US, just for the record.
Paul   Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:19 am GMT
You are allowed to refuse to take a breathalyzer, but it is essentially taken as an admission of guilt. The breathalyzer is generally only used if the officer thinks you are intoxicated, so having the officer say "He appeard intoxicated, and refused to take a breathalyzer" will likely get you convicted.
Frances   Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:31 am GMT
Kirk - Yes I realise its not bodily invasive but just breath invasive.
On the topic of reaction of light and movement whilst drunk, I was discussing this with my Canadian flatmate (at the time) and he said that because he undertook a lot of gymnastics as a child, he would be able to counteract the test.

We dont have sobriety tests here - just a breatho and then blood if the test came positive and it is suspected that they are drunk. Of course there are masking agents like mouth washes etc
Mxsmanic   Tue Aug 16, 2005 7:36 am GMT
Taking a lot of gymnastics doesn't help. Alcohol affects the central nervous system in ways that are independent of athletic training or general fitness. The characteristic changes in eye movements with increasing intoxication cannot be compensated voluntarily and are thus very reliable if correctly measured.
Boy   Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:07 am GMT
Once again thanks for your help. I have two more questions.

1. what does 'bubble-headed' celebrities mean?

2. I have got a 'smoking gun'?
Frances   Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:23 pm GMT
I don't know what "bubble-headed" means, I take it means someone who is not serious about things, whimsical maybe

"Smoking gun" is the last bit of hard evidence in a case. Sorry I can't explain it any better than that.