“Michael J. Fox could make a major breakthrough in the monitoring and treatment of Parkinson’s disease as his foundation begins equipping patients with Intel Basis smart watches – and a specially developed app – that can track people’s movements and how they manage the condition,” Leo King reports for Forbes.
“The technology has the potential to utterly transform Parkinson’s research : patients often note how occasional doctor’s appointments do not tell the whole story as their conditions can vary widely over the course of any single day,” King reports. “Manual note taking throughout the year can also be difficult for doctors to analyze, and frustrating for the patients. Fox said last night that proper data analysis was needed to track patient health and medication response on an accurate, ongoing basis, adding that in order to achieve this, wearable smart devices should be used.”
“Intel’s involvement in using technology to help tackle Parkinson’s has been somewhat spurred on by its former CEO Andrew Grove, who, like Fox, lives with Parkinson’s,” King reports. “The Basis smart watch, which retails for $149, tracks heart rate and movement. It weighs in at 1.55 ounces, has a four-day battery life and syncs wirelessly with laptops, and with Apple iOS and Google Android mobile devices.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Apple preps HealthKit rollout amid tangled regulatory web – August 12, 2014
Apple files for HealthKit trademarks for watches, fitness sensors, and medical devices/a> – August 5, 2014
Apple, iOS 8 Health, and the Gordian Knot of convoluted healthcare bureaucracy – August 2, 2014
How Apple’s iPhone 6 and iOS 8 will revolutionize sports, fitness, and health – July 17, 2014
Apple’s iWatch mystery continues with Korean trademark filing – May 5, 2014
Apple using shell company to trademark ‘iWatch’ – April 22, 2014
Apple extends company trademark to include ‘jewelry and watches’ – April 21, 2014
What a delicious little tidbit. McFly is again helping us get to the future.
I also appreciate Fox’s unwillingness to part with life when confronted with Parknson’s. Sadly unlike Robin Williams who seems to have simply given up and take the quick way out.
What a stupid comment .
What evidence do you have that his Parkinson’s disease lead to his suicide . Like many comic geniuses he had a longstanding history of depression and substance abuse .
The substance abuse may have lead to the Parkinson’s .
What a stupid ignorant rebuttal.
What evidence do I have Parkinson’s played a part in Robin William’s depression and suicide? Common sense for one. His own wife for two who said as much.
What evidence do you have substance abuse led to his Parkinson’s?
What evidence do you have many comic geniuses have longstanding history of depression and substance abuse? Lenny Bruce? Richard Pryor? Sure a few, but I wouldn’t say “many.” Also depression is not just “comic genius” issue. It’s a human race issue. And I do know a thing or two about it.
for the record I am a retired physician with more than 40 years of practice that involved the treatment of patients who had Parkinson’s Disease and /or Depression .
Your common sense is nonsense .His wife said that he had early Parkinson’s disease which was in all probability not disabling .What he has was a well documented longstanding history of depression .For the record more than 50% of new diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease are drug induced many prescribed drugs including drugs used to treat depression but also abused drugs . For instance there is evidence that the contaminants in a single does of rave drugs can induce long term disability in the ingestant .
What bothers me is the implication in your post that somehow RW was responsible for his demise . If you believe that I suggest that you try to strangle yourself with your belt and see how easy that is . What happened is truly a tragedy and a treatment failure . To blame him for his demise is simply ignorant .
So what you are saying is it is impossible that the realization that he was in the early stages of Parkinson’s would have no effect on his state of mind or existing depression nor have been an added factor or complication in his suicide? Uh huh.
I don’t think the fact that Parkinson’s had yet to effect him in the way it now effects Michael J. Fox would not have also added to his depression. He knew what was coming. But at the same time it would be only one consideration in his mental state, but possibly the icing on the depression cake?
I love how people imply all sorts of imagined meanings to what I said. I never said the Parkinson’s was the sole reason for suicide. Just an added factor. I also never pulled the blame card, you did. I was admiring Fox’s ability to deal with his issues and help others. It’s a shame Williams was unable to. I understand the depression and mental states of these two guys is different and so their reasons for living & dying are based on different criteria reflecting their genetic makeup and life experiences.
I never said suicide was easy and have never thought that, just quick relative to living out your life to its fullest. This discussion has branched out much further than my intention to give kudo’s to Fox for sticking it out while expressing sadness that Williams wasn’t able to cope. I think some people are just a little too knee jerk reactionary looking ever vigilant for imagined sleights. I suggest these folks seek out psychiatric help. I don’t retract anything I said. My 6 decades of life and experience in these areas of depression myself doesn’t count for nothing.
Don’t play the age card. It’s lame and it tends to support the Dutch proverb “We grow too soon old, and too late smart”. The judgemental comment regarding Robin Williams deserved to be called out with “Jane, you ignorant slut”. If you can’t be nice, just don’t be.
Nope it did not and all the ignorant rating trolls that trashed Peter for his comments can go to hell. This society has become a bunch of pathetic knee jerk reactionary twits who can’t take a joke, can’t bother to examine something at full context before reflexively reacting.
Embarrassing.
BTW I am not impressed with your initial insulting demeanor unbefitting a true professional addressing an issue that you dealt with directly as a life’s work. Your job is to educate people, not insult them. You just chopped yourself off at the knees to become a common troll the moment you lead with “Jane you ignorant slut” in so many words. I’d be ashamed if I were you. Inflammatory language usually gets an inflammatory response instead of the start of a calm intelligent discussion. Or didn’t you learn that in Psychology 101?
peterblood — you failed miserably in attaining your claimed “intelligent discussion” when you started spouting off vague generalizations about two people you have never met and about whom you know virtually nothing.
Bloody cheeky git – setting yourself up as judge of Williams’ character!!!
Please. Spare me. I’ll not spar with every two-bit mental lightweight here who chooses to attack me on baseless grounds and flimsy evidence. No insult was intended and the truth far closer than anyone here disingenuously wants to believe. Fox chose life whatever the obstacles and Williams chose death whatever his reasons (plus depression & anxiety) which I am reasonably certain included the specter of Parkinsons as his wife has said. Parkinsons itself can indirectly increase depression (some 50% of those with Parkinsons have depression as medically reported).
Go back to your video game Seanny.
Age card.
@peterblood71
Check Mate
Here’s the news reports:
“Robin Williams was sober but was struggling with depression, anxiety and the early stages of Parkinson’s disease when he died, his widow said Thursday.
The diagnosis of the progressive illness was “an additional fear and burden in his life.”
“According to those closest to him, the new disease and accompanying trials did impact Robin, “exacerbating” his fragile mental state. And the medications he was taking to treat the Parkinson’s kept him down a bit more than usual.”
I think it’s a safe assumption Parkinson’s added to his depression and decision to commit suicide even though not the primary cause. Plus his 2009 heart surgery, addictions and anything else in one’s life that causes feelings of depression. It’s usually never one thing but many things that come along. You of all people should know that. This is not a stretch.
You obviously know nothing about severe clinical depression
You obviously know nothing about what I know about junior.
I just had another famous friend of mine behind the scenes (whose work you have seen) pass away all too early because of depression and longstanding alcohol abuse.
Oh, I see. So because you had a friend die from similar afflictions that makes you an expert.
You quite obviously don’t know jack shit!
It sure as hell makes me a lot more familiar with it than you you know nothing fscktard! Plus what I’ve experienced personally. I don’t need no stinking PHD to know something about depression and mental health issues moron.
The most “obvious” thing here is your lack of knowledge and making broad assumptions about which you are clueless.
Age card.
Moron card.
You sound like those people who think Aspergers and Autism is caused by vaccines. Until you get a PhD in mental health, then you can talk. As it stands…you just don’t know what you are saying.
Boy you REALLY don’t know what you are talking about.
A friend of mine has a son with Aspergers who I’ve known all his young life. My granddaughter is special needs but dates an autistic boy who is actually a very talented cello player. She just attended a huge AUTISM SPEAKS benefit here with him (he played for the event) in Los Angeles with lots of celebrities raising money for the cause. I think I am just a little familiar with those worlds up close and personal while you’re some standoffish, scholarly, self-absorbed egotistical moron.
You remind me of that full of himself buffoonish teacher pontificating and shamelessly misquoting Marshall McLuhan in ANNIE HALL who gets his comeuppance from the real Mcluhan standing right behind him.
I love the disingenuous morons that come out of the woodwork because I basically suggested Robin Williams Parkinson’s disease must have added to his long suffering depression and subsequent suicide.
Wow, I sure put myself way out on a limb with that one!
That’s not it and you know that. It’s your judgement of him taking the easy way out.
Ya know…
I keep a bottle of scotch and a 9mm nearby, for when I reach that point. It will come someday. I live alone, spend most of my time reading and working. I don’t know many people, and when I get the point where I can no longer read and work, I don’t think I’ll do the brave thing and just lay in some government institution waiting for them to hose me off once a week.
I’ll do it in a dumpster. Cover myself up good. Save the tax payers some money if I can. Maybe take my iPad down with me, watch Star Trek reruns until the battery runs out. Then pop the cap.
Life is not a box of chocolates for everyone, bub.
Again I didn’t say the “easy way out” I said the “quick way out” deliberately avoiding the word “easy” but appreciate your more reasonable post.
I love when people completely over react. I respected the actor and it wasn’t an attack. More a compliment to Fox for staying, dealing, and helping others with the same affliction. And I’ve worked with him on television. Robin chose not to do that. His choice (for whatever his reasons). Everybody’s choice actually.
This heated debate is a bit uncomfortable to read. Your original message was a spark that led to it, not your fault, just easy to misinterpret what you mean. “Easy” and “Quick” can be interchangeable since easy is quite often quick and vice versa.
It’s unfortunate that Robin’s illness pushed him that far. He still lived a spectacular life and we are all the better for it.
And I’m also thankful that Michael J. Fox has not suffered from the same mental illnesses, or has had different circles of support around him.
Both of these superstars have contributed greatly in their own ways. For that, I say thank you.
T-Mac,
As always, I appreciate your perspective and I hope you live long and prosper!
Just when I think I’ve seen every flavor of imbecile the world has to offer, someone goes and trots out a whole new brand of halfwit for me to marvel at.
Peterblood,
How dare you.
You have NO idea. None whatsoever. You have NO idea what goes on in anyone’s life, especially based on the ghoulish media reports you seem to feed on. On top of that you have no goddamn right to assess the agonizing decision process an individual goes through when ending their lives. You say you know a thing or two about depression? You don’t sound like it. You sound like some pop psychology, aphorism spouting, bozo.
You don’t have any evidence of anything. No one knows the piercing anguish in making such a decision except the person who does it, and let me tell you something else, you delusional wad of crap, suicide is NOT the easy way out. Killing yourself takes unbelievable courage, even when it brings incomprehensible relief from never ending pain. To step into oblivion and condemn yourSELF to nonexistence is not simple, you dummy. Scribble that on your “Hang In There” kitty poster would you?
You aren’t fit to be toilet paper for Robin Williams or anyone else for that matter, let alone sanctimoniously passing judgement in some Internet forum, and I don’t care what you think you know, you haven’t learned a damn thing from it. So shut the fuck up peterblood. You’ve displayed a whole new level of moronism none of us really needed to be exposed to.
And still I hope you never reach the precipice of hopelessness confirming how truly little we matter and how alone we are in the end. It is a special ring of hell that no one, not even you, should have to reach.
STFU yourself asshole. What a whiny PC loving jerk you are. You are the most extreme flavor of imbecile I’VE ever seen. I’d only give you a quarter-wit at most. Obviously you’re brain is flying on fuming fumes.
I HAVE EVERY IDEA YOU FSCKING IDIOT!!!! You don’t know me, you don’t know my life experiences, you don’t know JACK!!! Only a true moron would sum up another human being based on a few words. You are doing the EXACT SAME THING you accuse me of making assumptions. Frankly I don’t even see what the problems is. People commit suicide for a variety of reasons. Don’t be cheeky. What is wrong with people like you? You don’t think disease or illness might push someone over the edge? Especially when his own family has verified it????? You know better than them??
You should know something about Bozohood based on your writing here. Listen to yourself. Ridiculously over the top and about what? That’s fscktard argument saying “no one can know what anyone is going through” but we can take a good guess based on our own experiences and frankly i don’t want to get too personal about it because of complete jerk-offs like you. I don’t owe you an explanation. What I said doesn’t deserve this kind of recrimination. It’s political correctness at it’s most heinous and ugliest which is what you are. Go look into a mirror. It ain’t pretty. in my opinion it’s people like you who are the dregs of society and we could well do without your type.
Well delusional describes you pretty accurately. If you notice I deliberately avoided using the word “easy way out” just “quick way out.” But that’s what you so desperately want to see even though i didn’t write that. Sure it must hard to kill yourself but staying alive takes even more courage.
Your level of moronity can’t even be measured it’s so low. Really you are one of the most intellectually vacant people I’ve seen on this site. Making a mountain out a molehill when I would guess you yourself have little experience with the subject we are talking about. Don’t tell me I don’t know what I in fact DO know. You don’t know me. Making those kinds of rash judgments makes you look like a total fool.
Oh yeah really, toilet paper? What a juvenile asswipe you are. Go out and learn something will yah? I’ve been around 6 decades and seen and done more than you ever will. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. Maybe a little humility about leaping to conclusions about people is a good first start. You have put on an incredible display of ignorance about things you know nothing about.
Go crawl back into your cesspool of stupidity.
“…You don’t know me. Making those kinds of rash judgments makes you look like a total fool…”
I think you made judgements first. The idea that suicide is easy is not only judgmental, but ignorant in the purest sense, meaning… you just don’t know.
“… unlike Robin Williams who seems to have simply given up and take the quick way out…”
Your words man. You’re judging him. And when you in turn were judged, you didn’t like it.
I never said it was “easy,” merely “quick.” Killing yourself must be the hardest thing in the world to do which is why I did not say that.
Well it’s a pretty safe assumption when one commits suicide one is giving up on life, for whatever reason(s). Not a judgment but a fact by the nature of the act itself which is to end life. In my opinion anyway. This is just mincing words.
Judgement here in my opinion was disingenuous and over the top. With words I did not say others like to add of their own volition to fuel the flames. Well it’s made for a lively conversation. Have a nice weekend TM!
Quick vs. Easy. Semantics. The implication is the same.
“Killing oneself is, anyway, a misnomer. We don’t kill ourselves. We are simply defeated by the long, hard struggle to stay alive. When somebody dies after a long illness, people are apt to say, with a note of approval, “He fought so hard.” And they are inclined to think, about a suicide, that no fight was involved, that somebody simply gave up. This is quite wrong.”
― Sally Brampton, Shoot The Damn Dog: A Memoir Of Depression
—–
On the other hand, the dog… he’s the big reason I wake up.
“Quick” meant a relatively quick suicide whether by rope, belt, gun, whatever. Well I base my comments on my own practical experience not some doctors, author or specialist. Feeling suicidal happens to a lot of people for various reasons and doesn’t need to be couched in voodoo or mystery. Of course people have had a long fight over their demons before coming to such a radical conclusion like suicide. Mental breakdowns don’t occur overnight of course. There is no one size fits all suicide either. I feel sorry for those folks that seek the release of death, that it’s the only solution left to them. If it makes people feel better to say they’re not “giving up” on life then so be it, even it effectively that’s what it is. Take care of that dog!
T-Mac FTW
Age card. Just being old doesn’t mean you have to be cranky. Try more dietary fiber.
Age, except in terms of experience, knowledge and better understanding, has nothing to do with it. Dietary fiber is not the key to all of life’s problems unfortunately. But thanks anyway.
You wrote with a passion and you made word choices that belie I Godless life filled with emptiness and the dual indicators of danger, hopelessness and helplessness. Whether you been dragged alone by these two enemies of your eternal soul or maybe you have watched others, but your writing indicated you’ve more than an academic association with suicide. I will pray for you right now my little known friend. For your statement that, “… I hope you never reach the precipice of hopelessness confirming how truly little we matter and how alone we are in the end. It is a special ring of hell” implies that you yourself have “issues” that need help. There is No Confirmation that we are alone dear one. And Life … any and every life had purpose and hope. You were made not an accident. You have been offerered care and not left to wander aimlessly. Anytime words like you chose are selected for descriptors of the precious life we have been blessed with, there is a reasonable assumption to be made that you need help. Peterblood71 may disagree with your thoughts on the often tortured and now largely wasted life of a highly paid “hypocrite” as the Greeks called our modern actors. However he seems to have a passion of his own, and it is to live, and too see others choose LIFE with all of it’s hardships and disappointments as well as the beauty, love, and GREAT HOPE of better things that await the ones who submit in humility to The Lord Jesus, the only Saviour of sinners … of which you, I, and we all are.
You wrote with a passion and you made word choices that belie I Godless life filled with emptiness and the dual indicators of danger, hopelessness and helplessness. Whether you been dragged alone by these two enemies of your eternal soul or maybe you have watched others, but your writing indicated you’ve more than an academic association with suicide. I will pray for you right now my little known friend. For your statement that, “… I hope you never reach the precipice of hopelessness confirming how truly little we matter and how alone we are in the end. It is a special ring of hell” implies that you yourself have “issues” that need help. There is No Confirmation that we are alone dear one. And Life … any and every life had purpose and hope. You were made not an accident. You have been offerered care and not left to wander aimlessly. Anytime words like you chose are selected for descriptors of the precious life we have been blessed with, there is a reasonable assumption to be made that you need help. Peterblood71 may disagree with your thoughts on the often tortured and now largely wasted life of a highly paid “hypocrite” as the Greeks called our modern actors. However he seems to have a passion of his own, and it is to live, and too see others choose LIFE with all of it’s hardships and disappointments as well as the beauty, love, and GREAT HOPE of better things that await the ones who submit in humility to The Lord Jesus, the only Saviour of sinners … of which you, I, and we all are.
You are a dim bulb and heartless jackass- so quick to judge. Shut up when you don’t know what you are talking about. Robin Williams went as far as he could go. You’re a useless turd- gotta give you credit for sticking around. At least Robin contributes something- a lot, in fact, and also shared a lot of love. Ah, but you don’t get that, hater.
You are one of the most heinous types of jerks who sit in actual judgment, don’t kid yourself. There was zero hatred in my remarks about Williams, you just like the opportunity to vent your juvenile cluelessness in public and do your infantile knee jerk pile-on.
I know firsthand about what depression can do to you and how adding on serious health issues can increase depression and subsequent suicidal thoughts. This is not rocket surgery nor requires a solemn PhD degree in pompousness to “expertly” ascertain.
Stop reading into what you “thought” I meant so as to fuel your ridiculous sense of foolish outrage. To commit suicide, as unpleasant and difficult a decision that is or must be, is giving up on life no matter how you slice it. There is nothing noble about it, just tragic. While my pain, your pain and Robin’s pain come in different flavors unique to an individual, pain is a basic human experience most of us can relate to. Being near Robin’s age I can understand better. Being 12 years old you cannot.
I read through the many vociferous comments on both sides of this sadly successful “suicide” attempt. I mention that it was an attempt because for every successful attempt there are many unsuccessful for a great many reasons. Since we have traveled this far from the awesome hope of hardware and apps being a help to people and the advent if a so called “iwatch” device being apparently imminent in many of our minds. I will take the liberty to fan the flames of this digressed feed just a bit more. I have taught extensively in this subject for many years, and it has touched our family as closely as it could any. But perhaps the greatest impact I have ever seen suicide have on a group was when a beloved employee at a facility with 1,000 law enforcement and 400 civilian staff, successfully committed suited in his second attempt in two days. There were instantly Suicude Cliques that emerged who blamed this departed coworker for “taking the easy / quick way out” and many called him a surprising coward for not facing life regardless of his marriage, financial, and long know extreme sleep deprivation issues. There were others who violently resisted any thoughts of responsibility on this mans part, and instead relegated his passing to “circumstances, and others, and bad luck” rather than assign any responsibility to their dear friend. The truth is that every soul is given one chance to live this life, here in a a mortal body. Decisions made in youth, many that are made for us in the early years, but then as we grow, the far majority over time become our own and we must own them. The physical / mental debate that raged on this page failed to address both the personal choices that were made to associate with certain family, friends, coworkers, as well as career paths, social and civic activities, entertainment choices, food choices, exercise or lack of, and more important than all these is the spiritual health or the neglect thereof. Peterblood71 is an interesting posting name indeed. His stated life experiences too are very instructive and help us see his point of view based on them. The commentators to his remarks, whether a lettered man or a so called “common man” too were influenced greatly by more than academic knowledge, as their life experiences guide both thought and emotional responses. Robin Williams must be held accountable for All of his life’s choices or else all of our posterity will suffer harm as we allow simply statements that may be true to crowd out the other truths our neighbors are trying to share. This is an occasion where the Biblical Truth of “a multitude of counselors” would wisely be applied. To state that this is a failure of those responsible for his diagnosis, referrals and treatment, would sound harsh to some. To say he bears responsibility too sounds cold and judgemental to others. And to dare to suggest his family and friends failed him raises great gasps of utter amazement by nearly everyone. The truth however is that we all bare responsibility in our society today for the lack of communal appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. And for neglecting the soul and spirit within our fellow citizens of this wonderful planet. I would encourage you all, whatever your “position” is regarding Peterblood71’s initial comments, to take eternity as serious as you seem to take this short lifetime. Robin Williams work may play on for many more years and bring laughter to enumerable people around the world. But he has left this world forever! And the choices he made, not his genes, not his parents, not his wife or talent agent …. his choices in this life have led to where he is eternally now. The New Testament book of Hebrews 2:3 … “What think ye if Christ? WHOSE SON IS HE?”
You can’t suddenly equalize “easy way out/quick way out.” They are two different things. “Easy” connotes a judgment or cowardness, “Quick” denotes simply a faster demise WITHOUT judgment. (I hesitate to bring up ultimate Biblical judgment since many here would not ascribe to that.) That was my intent and a deliberate avoidance of “easy.” How are any of us to judge when it isn’t us and you haven’t walk a mile in their shoes?
I sure didn’t expect to have a write a 20 page thesis to clarify any potential misunderstandings when Williams wasn’t the reason of my initial comment.
I notice on this forum all too many hypocritical souls who jump in to judge while hollering about “judging” based on flimsy evidence or gross misunderstanding. They are the ones committing a far more egregious error and more guilty of the sins they accuse others of. Only Thelonius Mac had any responsible or class response. I am not proud of my anger here and should have posted differently as well. Name calling is juvenile.
You raise a good point. Many on this forum denigrated the human spirit by their lack of measured responses and just going for the jugular creating easy inflammatory attacks instead of addressing the issue. It could have been a much more effective conversation had they done so and not devolved into mud throwing. Funny how the Internet and anonymous posting often discourages civilized conversation. No one would talk this way in a room together. There was talk of this the other day on the net about how trolls and those looking for a fight are far too prevalent posters. I think most of us can easily verify that.
Character is what happens when no one is looking. Not a lot of character here. I appreciate your comments. 🙂
I completely understand your distinction and I was simply stating that whether one said “easy” or “quick” I myself would not be offended and nit pick the semantics of the word. The issue is emotionally charged largerly because the will to live and LIVE ETERNALLY I might add, is ingrained in all men. The Word states clearly the God has put eternity into the heart of man, unlike the animals we have been given dominon over. The toad nor the giraffe fret about disease or injury as they trouble themselves wondering about the next day. Neither are they known for mercy killing or the taking of their own lives because of stress or “mental” illness. I judge you nor your words Peterblood71 … you have your master to answer to my friend as we all do 🙂
Bones, in Star Trek 5 (yeah I know it’s bad movie) confessed that he regretted – I think it was assisted suicide of hid own father – that within a year a cure was found for his father’s disease.
Robin William has three things going against him. Substance abuse (a life long infliction), depression (debilitating as far as we know), and now Parkinson’s, also debilitating. How much is a person to endure? Obviously he was a tortured man.
way to turn a positive story negative – as a mentally health person who at the first sign of arthritis in one of my fingers is am having an existential aging crisis, I just cannot imagine harshly judging someone for opting out of living with Parkinsons when they already have depression. It is known that Parkinson’s can have a doubling effect on chronic depression because the disease inhibits dopamine neurotransmitters. The ontological shock on top of finding one has a degenerative disease coupled with increased chemical depression, would seam an insurmountable cliff. Thankfully Michael J. Fox did not suffer from depression and continues to be a great spokesman and advocate of people who suffer chronic neuromuscular disease.
Grief unearths grief, the gravediggers remark at the pitch of the moaning and match pennies for rum.
Genius, thy name be Hannah!
Yeah, this is where I take my big brown eyed pit bull out for a walk. Watch him pee and poop on the world. Cheer him on. “Poop on it some more! I’m so proud of you!” I pick it up of course, but traces are left. It’s our protest.
Suicide: A permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Unfortunately none of the solutions to the temporary problem of life are particularly good.
I most respectfully disagree friend. There are some very good “solutions” to this transient existing we call life. Maybe a good starting place us to model and teach humility rather than rampant self gratification as that is current worldwide dad gripping the multitudes with and measurable amount of excess disposable cash (or credit). And modeling sincere Honor towards truly positive role models would impact our future generations would it not? When as a society we (I am generalizing the collective conscience) venerate and “make very wealthy” our confused and list souls among us … because in their pretended happy folly they make us laugh and thereby allow us to hide from the truths if life and death and eternity … we create the very situation Robin Williams found himself in, and could not find his way out of. Can we make many current medical research heroes, or truly faithful and selfless evangelist, or entrepreneurial and benevolent job creators and wealth givers, or even after years of wars recently, selfless heroes who have died for our freedoms? More likely our youth to our elderly too often today would recite sports stars that regardless of their lifestyle, if they can “___” better with the ball than most others they are referenced. Or a singer who can hold a note longer, or even a troubled and self destructive and insecure man who fakes an awkward smile and speaks silly words in an off tone, but he Mayes us laugh …. he us given the personification of a successful man.
We have all failed Robin Williams … and his very wrong minded and eternally consequential choice must be held up as an overt error by him, that we may learn to do better.
“The technology has the potential to utterly transform Parkinson’s research : patients often note how occasional doctor’s appointments do not tell the whole story as their conditions can vary widely over the course of any single day,”
I am a diabetic and can tell you that sometimes I do not give my health care providers the entire picture of my medical status at a given moment… just because it is hard to keep accurate records that I can share with them. Yes, I have a glucose meter, yes I have a DEXCOM. However, I also have to write out a chart, and that can be problematic, because my memory cells are not what they used to be.
A watch with a sensor that could keep accurate glucose readings ALSO has the potential to make “a major breakthrough in the monitoring and treatment of …” Diabetes possible! (and no, I do not know how that would be done by reading sweat – last I knew one had to test blood to get accurate readings).
So I say, bring on this technology. If it assisted me in assisting myself by better educating my medical providers as to my particular situation, then I will take the risk of loosing some privacy (to google or the government or even to some of the people who posted before me in this thread).
And speaking of them, I almost didn’t comment here after reading the vitriolic and almost violent comments relating to MJF and RW, *or at least people’s reactions to those comments* (given that some people have yet to apologize for the harshness of their original comments …. NOT what they said but the foolish ways they said what they said).
I do not care how old, experienced and educated you a**holes are: when you write to prove your point in such a harsh fashion, you only prove to me that you are more interested in winning a p***ing match. Screaming to the world “I AM RIGHT ABOUT THIS!!! IT’S ALLLL ABOUT MEEEEEE !!!” shows you to be too pompous for words while further communicating that … hey, you have somehow lost the argument.
News flash: to me, you HAVE lost the argument.
I respectfully suggest that we carefully consider our words for maximum effect, and edit extensively before posting, if it is even important for us to post.
I do not post too much, because it takes time for me to be clear and *polite* in my thoughts.
In my Father’s era (WWII) they used to say “Make sure brain is engaged before operating mouth.”
President Lincoln used the example (and I am paraphrasing here, in case some history-nazi wants to make himself look better by proving me to somehow be wrong about the following): If someone angers you, write them a letter then leave it in your desk drawer for a week. After that time if you still feel the same way, send the letter. If you do not, then destroy the letter. You will have clarified to yourself how you felt while at the same time, not said something publicly that you would regret later.
Unfortunately, in this new millennium it is all too easy to “engage mouth before engaging brain.”
Now, can we please return to our regularly scheduled programming wherein we discuss our favorite technologies, fanboy to fanboy ? (LOL)
We ought to be spending a lot more money, time, and educational resources on PREVENTING diabetes. The far majority of Type-II (2) diabetics could have avoided this hugely expensive condition (money, consequences, medical treatment).
Type-II diabetes is mostly preventable and by preventing, no, by totally eliminating the specter of diabetes in our future we would have more resources to investigate and cure many other tragic diseases.
I think what Peter was trying to get across is that Fox was able to overcome his condition and continue to help others in the same boat. “What ifs” are hard to reconcile, but what if RW had done the same. I too am sad that we no longer have him with us. I think many of us would have him under our wing and say we are with you and love you no matter what.
I read through the many vociferous comments on both sides of this sadly successful “suicide” attempt. I mention that it was an attempt because for every successful attempt there are many unsuccessful for a great many reasons. Since we have traveled this far from the awesome hope of hardware and apps being a help to people and the advent if a so called “iwatch” device being apparently imminent in many of our minds. I will take the liberty to fan the flames of this digressed feed just a bit more. I have taught extensively in this subject for many years, and it has touched our family as closely as it could any. But perhaps the greatest impact I have ever seen suicide have on a group was when a beloved employee at a facility with 1,000 law enforcement and 400 civilian staff, successfully committed suited in his second attempt in two days. There were instantly Suicude Cliques that emerged who blamed this departed coworker for “taking the easy / quick way out” and many called him a surprising coward for not facing life regardless of his marriage, financial, and long know extreme sleep deprivation issues. There were others who violently resisted any thoughts of responsibility on this mans part, and instead relegated his passing to “circumstances, and others, and bad luck” rather than assign any responsibility to their dear friend. The truth is that every soul is given one chance to live this life, here in a a mortal body. Decisions made in youth, many that are made for us in the early years, but then as we grow, the far majority over time become our own and we must own them. The physical / mental debate that raged on this page failed to address both the personal choices that were made to associate with certain family, friends, coworkers, as well as career paths, social and civic activities, entertainment choices, food choices, exercise or lack of, and more important than all these is the spiritual health or the neglect thereof. Peterblood71 is an interesting posting name indeed. His stated life experiences too are very instructive and help us see his point of view based on them. The commentators to his remarks, whether a lettered man or a so called “common man” too were influenced greatly by more than academic knowledge, as their life experiences guide both thought and emotional responses. Robin Williams must be held accountable for All of his life’s choices or else all of our posterity will suffer harm as we allow simply statements that may be true to crowd out the other truths our neighbors are trying to share. This is an occasion where the Biblical Truth of “a multitude of counselors” would wisely be applied. To state that this is a failure of those responsible for his diagnosis, referrals and treatment, would sound harsh to some. To say he bears responsibility too sounds cold and judgemental to others. And to dare to suggest his family and friends failed him raises great gasps of utter amazement by nearly everyone. The truth however is that we all bare responsibility in our society today for the lack of communal appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. And for neglecting the soul and spirit within our fellow citizens of this wonderful planet. I would encourage you all, whatever your “position” is regarding Peterblood71’s initial comments, to take eternity as serious as you seem to take this short lifetime. Robin Williams work may play on for many more years and bring laughter to enumerable people around the world. But he has left this world forever! And the choices he made, not his genes, not his parents, not his wife or talent agent …. his choices in this life have led to where he is eternally now. The New Testament book of Hebrews 2:3 … “What think ye if Christ? WHOSE SON IS HE?”