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Bob, and everyone. I haven't been following the discussion in detail, mainly because so little on PARKINSN is interesting these days. As is probably well known I have been concerned about the tone of the list for some time. Yes, the list has a sense of "community", but that is at the expense of people who can't share that community's values - be it in terms of mail volume, subject matter, or opinions that are expressed. The list has stayed broadly static in numbers over the past few years, despite a massive increase in the number of people on The Internet. I strongly suspect a large number of people are being driven off the list by a vocal minority who don't feel the need to consider the impact of their actions. As a result, thousands of people are failing to benefit from the wisdom and help that can come from this list when it is at its best. If people want a community list, then let's have one - SPARKLE is one example. Lets have more than one - I'll host as many as there are volunteers to run them. I'm not judging the applicability of any subject matter, all I'm asking for is for PARKINSN to focus on Parkinson's, which will make it useful to more people. Take all the other stuff onto other lists, which can be closely allied to PARKINSN, and part of the community. Its just as easy to subscribe to one more list as it was to subscribe to PARKINSN in the first place (well, probably easier), and we can regularly advertise the other lists on PARKINSN. This will give people a choice of what they get in their inbox. In this way the community can grow, become stronger, and more healthy. The alternative is PARKINSN will wither and die, a victim of its own success, and the selfishness of a minority. And we will *all* be the poorer for it. >I will >remain here for the next few days, waiting for people to *publicly* >post their true feelings about the points that I have been trying to >make (about offensive postings under the guise of "jokes"). Count my vote. > Unless I >see a majority of this List standing in support of sensitivity, I will >leave this List. > >Maybe my usefulness is gone, anyway. This, ladies and gentlemen, typifies the challenge facing PARKINSN. Why should anyone who wants to contribute to Parkinson's Disease be involved with a list that's long since got off track? What will PARKINSN be when the experts that have stuck it out so far have left? What's the point of an archive of the list when 95% of the posts are junk? Why should I put the effort into trying to find the useful stuff in the archive if no one can be bothered to stick to the subject matter? I repeat my offer to host any PD related mailing list - if you think there's a niche not being served, and are willing to help run it, drop me a mail. Simon -- --------- My opinions are my own, NIP's opinions are theirs ---------- Simon J. Coles Email: [log in to unmask] New Information Paradigms Work Phone: +44 1344 753703 http://www.nipltd.com/ Work Fax: +44 1344 753742 =============== Life is too precious to take seriously ===============