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I know that this list is not a forum for politics, but personally, I am much more angry with the hypocrites who have wasted billions going after Clinton (for a moral, not a federal crime - because they couldn't get him for any of the potentially really criminal things he was first accused of, so they turned to tabloid news), and who on the other hand, are the same ones who traditionally have been against big government and its spending, and back in the eighties, were spending amazing amounts of money on hawkish nuclear weapons, while cutting domestic programs. Not too long ago I used to volunteer as a tutor at this housing project in Trenton, NJ. Some of the people who lived there volunteered their time to serve as like security guards. Basically, just by their presence, drug dealers, etc. were deterred from some of their actions (at least they moved them elsewhere or otherwise were a bit less obvious than before). When our wise leaders decided to cut the budgets for some of this sort of thing, no longer could the project even afford the volunteers, so once they were gone, you could see almost immediately the whole atmosphere of the place change, and for us, we became more and more concerned about going down there to tutor. At one point, some of the tutors were supposedly really harassed. It was sad, cuz we weren't being paid either, and besides the tutoring, part of our purpose in going down there was to show these kids that there were others ways out of that situation that they were growing up in, other than the ways they typically saw daily. The lesson everyone got tho' was that government would much rather spend huge amounts on military, etc., than on its own people. The cost to benefit ratio of funding these volunteers was so much greater than for some of the other things that the money was diverted to. Just a small investment in these kids could have saved the government alot more later on, if these same kids got educated, went to work, etc., rather than continuing to propagate the same welfare lifestyle they were raised in. One night when I showed up, the tutoring had for some reason been cancelled for that night, but I ended up staying for a while after all. This woman wanted so bad for her kid to get some help with his homework, as she couldn't help him cuz she didn't read, so I ended up tutoring him from the hood of my car. That's pretty sad when the parents really want more for their kids, but can't even begin to give it to them. The reason I bring all this up is, I do agree that the government should invest more in its own people, either via education, healthcare, the arts, etc, because that it ultimately costs them less to have productive citizens, rather than citizens living on welfare or disability. I also believe that national security is as much derived from having an educated, active citizenry (especially in a democracy where it is not only one's right to vote, but one's responsibility - but first one must be able to think critically) as it is from having a strong military, etc. I disagree, however, with the attacks on Clinton. I believe that the Republicans have wasted much more money than has Clinton, on something that was not a federal crime, and that they may have even jeopardized national security with this stupid affair, by distracting the president and the rest of the country from more important issues and also possibly making some of these terrorists think that since we're so caught up with this b.s., that now's a great time for them to go into action cuz we're too distracted to respond. Altho' I'm no hawk, by any means, I think his decision to attack was necessary and had nothing to do with this affair. I'm amazed he's been able to function at all in his presidential duties, considering the time he's been forced to waste in dealing with this other bogus stuff. Terrorists are cowards, in my opinion, no matter if their beef if justified or not. (Ghandi stood up to the British without using force and made a big impact). No matter whether I might at first agree with their arguments, I lose all respect for them when they resort to these methods. Force, however, is sadly enough, probably the only type of response that they will listen to. It made Khadafi back down for a while. And I think that if force is going to be used, it should be swift and effective, not dragged out. Finally, on a related note, here's also a poem that I wrote a few weeks back in response to that bombing in Ireland which took three children's lives: INNOCENT BABES Eire, Oh my Eire Land across the sea In the silhouette Of the Rockies I see you looking Back at me Strains of Celtic fiddles And bagpipes Fill the air As this morning's Headlines Fill me with despair Are ye the Emerald Isle Or perhaps The Isle of Gloom Where hypocrisy Leads to tragedy And tragedy leads to doom Your law forbades abortion When a child's Still in the womb Yet once again A terrorist's bomb Has sent three more to the tomb In a country Long embittered By fierce internal strife All arguments Lose their validity When the cost is a child's life Prayers for peace Now shattered By murderers who seek control May God who is Above religion Save this country's soul Eire, Oh my Eire Land across the sea I pray for you To now rise Above Your bloody history May God have mercy On Ireland And on all the Earth May peace and not hatred From your womb Henceforth be given birth ************* Now back to the subject at hand.... Keep praying for a cure for PD! I'm still looking for mine to come from somewhere other than drugs based on animal research. (just trying to stir up some further controversy). Sometimes I'm torn on whether I really want to be cured by something tested on another first. Is my life really worth more? I don't know, but I do know once I'm cured (or maybe before), I'm going to one day create my own foundations/research facilities. One is going to take advantage of the grants that the NIH gives to those trying to find alternatives to animal research (i.e., other testing methods which do not require the animals) and the other is to research ways to eliminate pesticides and other toxins, and to encourage people to become more cognizant of the products they use and what their consequences are (encourage responsible consumption). To me, the ultimate cure for pd, lies as much in eliminating some of the causes/triggers, as much as addressing the genetinc link and treating it once it's already set in. Like I've said before, my body evolved in a world without all of these toxins, so I don't necessarily agree that my genes are "deficient." God made me the way I am, and I like to think that that's the way I'm supposed to be. If I'm sensitive to toxins, I don't believe that it's MY problem and that I need fixing. I think that some of this research effort and funding would do just as well by working toward eliminating the triggers as to identifying genetic links. People did get pd before the 20th century and before the industrial revolution, but I don't think as many got it at 25 like I did, and like many others now do. Well, that's enough stirring the pot for one day. 'Til next time! Wendy Tebay