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There has been discussions on the list about a symbol for PD. I had said that our new organization, Maine Parkinson Society, would use both the tulip and the hour glass. We have recently acquired non profit status , and are now focused on fund raising. In discussions with other health organization and marketing people, we found that the tulip would be more marketable. PD is a horrible disease and the hour glass does signify the dark side. However , other diseases share the hour glass feeling. I don't have PD, but our daughter , Karen, has. I have heart disease; had open heart surgery 10 years ago and at age 71, I have a hour glass with a short span. Every baby born has their own hour glass. The marketing theory is for a symbol which will be used every time we educate and fund raise for Parkinson's. My friends from other health organizations relate how important it is for a Disease group to have a positive logo. We have large summer colonies of wealthy people in Maine. They have many gardens. We think the tulip will be successful in attracting people to our cause with fund raising and education. We couldn't see how the hour glass could be physically utilized as a positive fund raising tool. Canada starting using the tulip in 1984. In 1981, Mr. J.W.S. Van der Werrrreld, the renowned Dutch horticulturalist, himself a PWP, registered " The Dr. James Parkinson Tulip" to honor Dr James Parkinson. We plan on selling this tulip as a fund raising tool and for Maine Parkinson Society logo. Our letterhead is covered with tulips and " The tulip is our symbol of hope" Congress has apparently raised the NIH budget by 14 %. We haven't yet heard if PD will have their share of the increase, but there is hope. PWP's hope is that more research will discover the cause of PD and better treatment. We must retain that hope and continue the fight in Congress. Our tulip decision is based on hard headed marketing advice. It would be great if the rest of the USA would join Maine and Canada in the tulip symbol for PWP's.