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Sad to say the list has become a dour, forbidding place. The pigs have hijacked the humour that used to lighten things up a little - the TOPICS have fragmented things so that de facto minilists now abound, and they have given us a brand new thing to hit each other over the head with; not to mention that when introduced they were intended as a courtesy and are now starting to be spoken of as a requirement by some voices - and this latest religious kerfuffle/debate/dispute/argument (you pays your money and you takes yer pick) is a classic of its kind with some religious people being insensitive to the beliefs of others and some non religious people responding to them with religious fervour. Oh what fun - makes you glad to be alive, have Parkinson's, own a computer and be a member of the Parkinson's Information Exchange. Some two years ago I wrote an article entitled "A Terrible Beauty" - some of you may even remember it. In it I spoke of my pride at being a member of a community of quiet heroes; I spoke of the courage which was the dominant (if unheralded) characteristic of so many with PD. I based that statement on what I saw in my local community and the wonderful, understated courage I saw demonstrated daily on this list. Thankfully I still have the example of my local community to show me the PWP haven't changed, because this list has changed beyond recognition. Today quiet, understated courage is far from its dominant characteristic - it seems instead to have become whining, whinging, and self obsessed. This is not a comment on individuals on the list - they surely are, like my local community, still as they were - but it is a comment on the list mood which is a product of how we chose to manifest ourselves. I would like to ask that we all ask ourselves before posting to the list "is what I am about to send going to help either me or someone else on the list" and if isn't don't send the damn thing. This list has been a positive place in the past - it can be so again in the future - all it takes is for each one of us to decide to make it so and then actually taking personal responsibility for the outcome. Dennis +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dennis Greene 50/dx 37/ onset 32 There's nothing wrong with me that dealing with PD won't fix! email - [log in to unmask] Website - http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ (most recent update -Nov 5, 1999) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++