It's a tricky one: you've just been diagnosed with a dose of the clap and now you've got to tell your partner/s to get themselves sharpish down to the STD clinic.

Trouble is, you quite justifiably fear that the news will not be received joyfully and may earn you a smack in the chops, if not a kick in the 'nads. Well, don't panic: the LA health authorities have thoughtfully provided an anonymous e-postcard service which allows you to tell your "boyfriends, partners, ex's, or hookups they may have been exposed to HIV or another STD".

For example, why not brighten someone's day by sending: "It's not what you brought to the party, it's what you left with. I left with an STD. You might have too. Get checked out soon."

Marvellous. This valuable service is provided by the Internet Sexuality Information Services and partly funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The foundation's director, Karen Mall, admitted to AFP: "Face-to-face communication is really the way to go, but some people can't do that." ®