 |
 |
(23 Jan 98) Too Many Messages? Personally, I like the Parkinsn. list and forum just the way it is! For those who joined more recently than I, we've gone through this before; like politics it runs in cycles. Proposals to split the forum into subcategories have failed to get much support. I say, "It takes all kinds" and I like the variety. I check my inbox about once a day, and if not busy I may stop and read some of the jokes and idle chatter- otherwise (supposing the sender and subject are accurately named) I merely hit the "delete" key once for each message. This rarely takes more than a minute or two, even for 100 or more items, and likewise rarely takes more than that for my ISP to download them when I first log on. Then I can log off (disconnect) from my ISP to leisurely read and compose replies to the few that interest me, for transmission later. The only hitch is that you must delete the unwanted traffic while still connected, otherwise it will reappear next time you open your inbox. As one who posts 3 or more very long messages a month, I'm well aware that the length bothers some listmembers who aren't interested in that material. But other listmembers remind me that they are interested, and after quite a bit of discussion, the present format still seems to best meet everyone's different needs (some, e.g., have access to e-mail but not www). I try to be frugal with "log-on" time, not only because I have other things to do, but also because it prevents anyone reaching me on my single phone line. Even so, I have logged 30 or 40 hours a month if I'm not careful. For others, access to the "net" is an important part of life, and they may be at the keyboard all day every day. If they enjoy it, why not? On a different subject, congratulations John Cottingham on your great drug database website, and to Kathrynne Holden for the enormous effort it must take to assemble the data. My only other comment is that this is an endless task, because to keep up with the "very latest" rumors you must scan the current literature. For example I looked at Acetazolamide (Diamox) and didn't see the bit about its mysterious (anecdotal) value against severe fluctuations of PD symptoms during the menstrual cycle. Likewise, Apomorphine (Britaject), a short-lived but very potent dopamine agonist, has been used for a long time as a research tool, but now is available on prescription in the UK for self-injection by PD patients, to bridge the sudden and unpredictable "off" periods that occur in the later stages of the disease. Cheers, Joe J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013