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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------5FC5767AB8C61DD7B48D8854 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Brian and Jim, I would like to add some additional thoughts to the discussion in regard to funding research and the Udall bill. > However, as I > read the rest of his (Walter Huegel) note, I find > that we are talking about Political > > Activism; the implication being that all that is needed to bring > about the > end of PD is the right actions from the Government - > which I presume > translates into more money for PD Research, since > at the end of the day that > is about the only power that a > government can wield against something like > PD. > I must agree. Throwing bundles of money at anything does not > necessarily ensure a cure. Just look at HIV AIDS, for example. > A good deal of any money raised will go into the pockets of > multi-national drug companies, as it always does, and am I being > too, too cynical if I say that they wouldn't *want* a cure for PD, > as it would put an end to "a nice little earner", as a star of > English TV comedy would say? > And another portion would go to academics only interested in > accumulating enough supporting material, to form the basis of yet > another unread and unreadable thesis, and thus ensure their tenure. > Next would be a line-up of researchers with the right intentions, > but with a one-track mind, which has been honed in the > "brain-factories" to follow a narrow line of enquiry, who will > reject any material that does not come from sources as rigid as > their own, and whose results will be published in a format so > esoteric as to read like 15th century Haupt Deutsche. And let's not forget how much of the money funded by the Udall Bill, if passed, would be diverted into our system of "Government waste", and scandalous misappropriation of funds which seems to consistently raise its ugly head in fund raising organizations such as the NAACO and the Arthritis Foundation and others. I'm not accusing any organization connected with Parkinson's causes of wrongdoing, but with $100 million being dangled in front of them the temptation is surely there. I could go on and on but I think I have stated the basis for my cynical concerns about how much of the money appropriated would actually go to productive research. Another area of concern is where do the funds come from to support the seemingly duplication expenses of having a number of organizations lobbying and or raising funds outside the funding from Government sources. Surely all of these people are not working without pay. That's enough for now. I think it gets too scary to keep on asking these questions, when I admit, I don't have the answers. If any of you do, please help me find a reason to be more optimistic about finding a cure, and how can we stay focused on the most productive path? >This list, and the people on it, and other similar lists and news conferences on the Internet, might >provide a gold-mine of first-hand, broad-based, global experiences which just might provide the >necessary clues for at least an initial essay at a solution I may be cynical, but I haven't lost hope or faith, at this point I don't think we really have much more. --------------5FC5767AB8C61DD7B48D8854 Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="vcard.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Chapman, Bob 64/1.5 Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="vcard.vcf" begin:vcard fn:Chapman, Bob 64/1.5 n:Chapman;Bob 64/1.5 org:Sun Lakes, AZ email;internet:[log in to unmask] title:Hangin' on the ropes waitin' for the bell to ring x-mozilla-cpt:;0 x-mozilla-html:TRUE end:vcard --------------5FC5767AB8C61DD7B48D8854--