A new information website about statins has opened. :)

[xrn]

Hello All,
I have just started to construct a new statin information website. It can be seen here...

(as usual, first remove the asterisk from the URL before pasting the address into your web browser)

*http://www.imagine-photo.co.uk/~jcable/statins/Site%206/Home.html

It is displaying just one article (1.1Mb PDF file) at the moment but more is to be added very soon. Any and all comments are welcome.

Kind regards,
xrn

[Brian C.]

Thank you xrn.
Already that one article - and your clarifying commentary - signal that your site will be of the highest quality and utility.
I envy your energy and clarity of thought but give thanks for them.

Brian.

[xrn]

Brian:
Thank you xrn.
Already that one article - and your clarifying commentary - signal that your site will be of the highest quality and utility.
I envy your energy and clarity of thought but give thanks for them.

Brian.

xrn:
Hello Brian. Thank you for your kind comments. I guess it is a very well known story. if you want something doing... (I am sure that you know the rest of that famous aphorism) ;)

Still, I am just one person and I am more than willing to take suggestions if it helps to improve the utility of the site. I am just throwing together a collection of ideas about what the site should be able to offer and (in due course) I will probably have developed my web development skills to match the aspirations for the site.

I am a complete and utter noob when it comes to website production but it looks like it could be a deliverable (to my inexperienced eyes). So long as people do not mind the mistakes that people with my knowlege of web site development and design are bound to make, and they can laugh with me... rather than at me, then I will be happy enough.

More fun to come... today was the final day for the DoH to contact me with regard to my complaints that they have had for over 4 weeks now and on foot of my last communique, (reproduced below for your amusement) they had promised to deal with my long running complaints.

My last missive to the DOH section head dated 16th April...

Dear ???
Having written to you on the 20th March, I would like to know if any
progress has been made in respect of my formal complaint being
investigated.

Nearly four weeks has passed, without any communication from you, or your department, to inform me that my complaint was received and is being investigated.

If this matter has been left to languish, deliberately, kindly have the common courtesy to tell me so that I may take the action that I deem to be appropriate in these circumstances.

The almost instant reply was as follows...

Thank you for your email asking about your formal complaint. I apologise for not replying sooner. I am investigating your complaint and will reply by 20 April.

Yours sincerely,
???

Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty. :roll:

Kind regards,
xrn

[xrn]

Hello all,
I have just changed the website address to a new domain which I have just obtained especially for the purpose of providing a fast connection and a web-site that should prove useful if you have any questions about statin therapies.

The reason for this rather rapid change is so that I could collect all relevant and new articles together and then provide you all with an RSS feed (as soon as I have worked out the best way to do this) I also made the change because I could see huge problems with the way I had initially set the site up. The learning curve for noob web-site designers is steep but the last 4 hours have helped me to wake up to important issues. :)

I have also made a fundamental change that means that I will probably end up with linking to articles from other websites, rather than slowing my opwn site down with huge files sitting in every corner. The issue of copyright is easily dealt with if I do this.

Comments on the changes are, of course, welcome. Anyone wishing to test out the e-mail address (it is not a mailto link so as to obstruct spam and bots that crawl the web for mailto e-mail addresses) at the end of page one, will be helping me to get things up and running quickly. Thank you.

Kind regards,
xrn

[xrn]

Oh dear, it must be getting late because I had forgotten to post the new URL, which follows now...

*http://talkingstatins.com/

The new web-site is called 'Talking Statins' and don't forget to remove the atserisk from the front of the URL before pasting it into your web browser.

Kind regards,
xrn

[cjbrooksjc]

xrn: Thanks for all you do for this eclectic group of souls. I, as Brian, also applaud your energy and perseverance. I know your efforts will be rewarding to us all, and I look forward to being a regular site visitor.

One thing I would suggest: when I tried to add the site to my list of "Favorites" I got the name HOME returned as the link address. Since HOME is often the primary system name for one's Email address, I would suggest to change it to something that suits you; 'Talking Statins' is as good as anything.

Get some rest, and don't over-tax yourself. We need your tenacity, your obstinate dedication to our cause.

Kindest Regards,

Brooks

[Brian C.]

Brooks, if you right-click on "Home" and select "Properties" from the drop-down menu you can type in your choice of name.

Thank goodness xrn got himself out before he became fully statinised and all but disappeared down the energy sink like so many of us.

Brian.

[Ray Holder]

Bravo xrn
I had been busy sending a long rocket to one of the BHF top brass and only saw your new site this morning. It looks very promising.

Keep up the good work with Cadwallon.

I am reminded of the old ex soldiers' saying: "Non illegitimo carborundum!!", a dog-latin phrase for "Don't let the b******s grind you down"

Ray

[xrn]

Ray:
Bravo xrn
I had been busy sending a long rocket to one of the BHF top brass and only saw your new site this morning. It looks very promising.

xrn:
I have high hopes for the site. I am trying to learn about web coding and database management so that sight has some reasonable functionality for visitors. I am using simple preparation software to write all of the html code but as soon as I understand enough, I will hand code the site so that it can do what I wish for it. Thank you for your kind comment, Ray.

Ray:
Keep up the good work with Cadwallon.

xrn: I have not figured him/her out yet and trying to get him/her to stick to the pint is proving tedious. Oh well... onwards.

Ray:
I am reminded of the old ex soldiers' saying: "Non illegitimo carborundum!!", a dog-latin phrase for "Don't let the b******s grind you down"

Ray

xrn:
Yes <chuckle> but I prefer my own aphorism... give ulcers, don't get them.



Kind regards,
xrn

[Brian C.]

Ray:
Keep up the good work with Cadwallon.

xrn: I have not figured him/her out yet and trying to get him/her to stick to the pint is proving tedious. Oh well... onwards.

Careful what you say chaps for Cadwaller is now among us

Hmm "stick to the pint". I think I'll have another
Cheers!

Brian

[cjbrooksjc]

Brian C. Yes, thank you. I did that, but I was actually thinking about the large number in our midst who will get the "HOME already exists, do you want to replace it?" message and then 'Just Say No".

Also, if our Cadwaller is indeed among us, I welcome him (I presume) to an unvarnished forum of unadulterated, free expression where everyone can learn something from anyone, and usually does; in spades!

Regards,

Brooks

[xrn]

Brian:
Ray:Keep up the good work with Cadwallon.

xrn: I have not figured him/her out yet and trying to get him/her to stick to the pint is proving tedious. Oh well... onwards.

Careful what you say chaps for Cadwaller is now among us

Hmm "stick to the pint". I think I'll have another
Cheers!

Brian

xrn:
Hi Brian. Cheers! Those typos really annoy me because there is no way to edit them out.

Kind regards,
xrn

[xrn]

Brooks:
Brian C. Yes, thank you. I did that, but I was actually thinking about the large number in our midst who will get the "HOME already exists, do you want to replace it?" message and then 'Just Say No".

Also, if our Cadwaller is indeed among us, I welcome him (I presume) to an unvarnished forum of unadulterated, free expression where everyone can learn something from anyone, and usually does; in spades!

Regards,

Brooks

xrn:
Hi Brooks. We shall see... Our latest guest is both a medic and a researcher so we all could learn a lot from his (my assumption... I know, I know) point of view about statins. My interest would be to get him to address the issues that I have already put to him (perhaps we really do need a gender neutral word in English, or at least one that will serve as a passable hermaphrodite) and am hoping to have those issues spoken to, in due course.

I have added a little more information to my site and it references a national policy document that makes interesting reading. My commentary is incomplete but some worthwhile links are included. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Kind regards,
xrn (aka the all-seeing webmaster)

[xrn]

Hi All,
I have added some additional information concerning the UK national policy on statins. It is not yet complet as I have a few more pages to add. The analysis and commentary on the policy will then make far more sense, after readers have gained an insight into how the policy developed and why it now is policy.

I have highlighted the fact that NICE have lowered the ten year risk from 30% to 20%. More people will now be deemed 'unhealthy' by this change. Of note is that the QOF points system of financial inducements to treat patients, will now be attendant on the medical practitioner complying with NICE 'guidance' and that the QOF system of filling medics wallets is now formally included as a part of their contract of employment.



That's all for now...

Kind regards,
xrn

[cjbrooksjc]

xrn: Hi Brooks. We shall see... Our latest guest is both a medic and a researcher so we all could learn a lot from his (my assumption... I know, I know) point of view about statins.

Brooks: Precisely. Any real doubter with NO HIDDEN AGENDA cannot help but be affected by the dialog on this site, or at least be moved to empathy and feel a need to express that publicly. If there is a chance we can learn something - Great; if we can turn a doubter - Great as well!

xrn: I have added a little more information to my site and it references a national policy document that makes interesting reading. My commentary is incomplete but some worthwhile links are included. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Brooks: My son-in-law is treating me and the Missus to a ball game today, but I look forward to spending some time with your new site tonight.

Best Regards,

Brooks

[xrn]

Brooks:
Precisely. Any real doubter with NO HIDDEN AGENDA cannot help but be affected by the dialog on this site, or at least be moved to empathy and feel a need to express that publicly. If there is a chance we can learn something - Great; if we can turn a doubter - Great as well!

xrn:
Hmmm... I wonder if Cadwallon will return.

Brooks:
My son-in-law is treating me and the Missus to a ball game today, but I look forward to spending some time with your new site tonight.

Best Regards,

Brooks

xrn:
OK, great! It will give me a chance to get a little more work done. Enjoy the ball game! Talk to you later. :cool:

Kind regards,
xrn

[xrn]

Hi All,
I have made a few new changes to my new website and any comments from visitors would be both welcome and helpful. :D

*http://talkingstatins.com/

(please remove the SPAM reducing asterisk from the front of the URL before pasting the address into your web browser)


Kind regards,
xrn

[xrn]

Hi Brooks
I have added a little more information. I still have to add Brian's stuff too. I have to also get some more papers and read then so I have a good grasp of the metabolic pathways that are involved with cholesterol synthesis and the transfer of energy from food to cells.

I still have to tidy up the reference thing... I suspect it needs a better solution than I have used.

Kind regards,
xrn

[cjbrooksjc]

XRN: It's a developing product. It will likely change as time passes; as you find ways to provide the information that are more appealing to you.

Regards,

Brooks

[xrn]

Hello All,
The new web-site is starting to grow and take on some more shape and substance. Much more remains to be done but any opinions, suggestions or complaints, would be most welcome.

Kind regards,
xrn