Check out the Discussion Forum for latest news etc!
Please let me have news of what’s
going on nationally, or in your area.
Forthcoming Events (TSA Website)
Yahoo! Tourette Syndrome News Stories
19 September 2002
My work and family commitments have increased, and I therefore have far less time to devote to this site. I have decided I can no longer host the Friday night chats, but I'm hoping someone may want to take over (perhaps a different day or time). Helen continues to host Tuesday chats at 8.30pm :-)
I haven't been able to update this site for some time, but I am still putting news, and any new links or information in the forum - so please check there!
29 March 2002
The Trisha Show
The family that recently appeared in the Daily Mirror will be featured in an upcoming Trisha Show. It was due to be screened on 27 March, but has been rescheduled - we'll let everyone know the new date in the Forum. The programme is rescheduled for Thursday 11 April 9.25am
15 March 2002
Site Problems
Recently, the website has been having various problems. For 10 days or so, Bravenet was offline, which meant we lost the Chat Room, Guestbook and counters. During that time, we used a new Back Up Chat Room - the ParaChat link on this page.
Although the Bravenet services are more or less back to normal, we did lose some messages from the Guestbook, and several thousand visits off the counter - we even lost the statistics for the 28 February, which was our busiest ever (as a result of the BBC documentary and other recent publicity) :-(
Valiant, who host this site, have also had problems, resulting in the website being offline for several hours at a time. I have therefore copied the site to an additional server, so that if www.tourettesyndrome.co.uk is ever offline, then you can access the mirror site by using www.tosy.co.uk (I'm hoping it's unlikely that they'll ever both be down at the same time!). I've set www.tosy2.co.uk to point at the Discussion Forum.
I apologise for the recent disruption, but hoping we've got back up systems in place now.
The Discussion Forum is the place to keep up to date with news on a daily basis - and you can read about the recent publicity there
5 March 2002
Great Wall of China - Fundraising trip for Tourette Syndrome research
23.2.02
UK Tourette Syndrome KidsAnnie and EJ have set up this new Community created especially for young people with TS.
BBC Documentary "The Boy Can't Help It"
Wednesday 27 February 2002 BBC1 9pm
22.12.01
4.12.01
Bravenet have until now provided us with a good service - although I have longed for the promised upgrade, where we would be able to archive all our posts. It never happened :(
This week, following a month or so of intermittent down time, we've been getting pop-up windows with every click of the mouse on the forum. Very irritating!
So, I think the time has come to move on. EZBoard have a customisable forum that remains simple, requiring no registration, logging in or passwords (although you have that option too), can still remain anonymous (which I think is important). The forum automatically archives all messages, and they are fully searchable.
The forum goes live now!
I have trawled through all our old forum messages (Bravenet automatically send me copies of all messages via e-mail) and have created a make-shift archive of previous posts. I have only included those subjects likely to be of most interest. There are invariably many that I have missed. So far, I've only gone back to March of this year, so I still have some work to do! I'll get there slowly.
I am updating all the links to the discussion forum on the site, but there are many, and I may miss some - please let me know if I do. I will not update the links to the forum on this page, which appear as part of a news item prior to today's date.
Hope you like the new forum!
25.10.01
16.10.01
BBC Documentary
The BBC is currently researching for a new documentary about TS.
It's hoped this will be informative and sensitive - it appears that way at the moment.
John from "John's Not Mad" will also be involved.
They are hoping to start filming this month, and are currently travelling around the
country talking to individuals and families.
It's hoped the programmed will be screened on BBC2 at 9pm one Spring evening (February at
the earliest)
They asked me to put this on the site:
The BBC is making a one hour documentary about
living with Tourette Syndrome to go out on BBC1. We would like to talk to
people with TS and their families as part of the research for this film. For
a confidential chat please e-mail sarah.bampton@bbc.co.uk
or
philippa.bradley@bbc.co.uk or call 0208
752 6809. Thank you.
7.9.01
New Page - Will Somebody Listen? TSA AGM in October - more details at the TSA Website
Site Search Engine 12.5.01
We've got a new search engine for the site - hope it's better than the last one! (I'm sure it is)
Scottish Tourette Syndrome Support Group 9.4.01
The Scottish group now have their own website!
Forum, Guestbook and Chat Room - Bravenet Services
On Friday 19th April, my year's subscription to Bravenet Pro service will be up, and from then, you will see advertising banners at the top of those pages. Hope that's ok.
Good Friday - No Chat
I won't be able to be in the chat room on Friday 13th April - sorry. Happy Easter!
Tuesday Morning Chat 2.4.01
There will be no more Tuesday morning chats. Tomorrow would have been the last one, but Sue apologises as she is unable to be there.
Scottish TS Support Group - Spring Meeting
This info from Janice Mylan of the Scottish TS Support Group
April 25th 2001 in Perth
Baptist Church Hall, Almond View, Perth 1pm - 5pm.
We will be showing the episode on TS Medical Mysteries and there is also a speaker, John Fotheringham (Solicitor) who will be giving a talk on Legal Aid and a short talk on the new Human Rights Legislation. There will be our own Information Stall along with the TSA UK Information Stall manned by Chris Mansley amongst others. There will also be plenty of time for a discussion forum and informal chats.
See this page for details on how to contact the Scottish Group
Tuesday Morning Chat
21.3.01Sue has been feeling lonely on Tuesday mornings 
Please join her
and stop her doing her ironing every Tuesday morning! (10-11am)
Ally McBeal & Tourette Syndrome 21.3.01
TS is being featured on the show Ally McBeal. Apart from an unfortunate story line, the TS appears to be well represented. The first episode was shown on the satellite channel E4 on Monday night at 9pm and will be repeated on Sunday 25 March at 9pm. The next 2 Mondays will continue the story.
An article about TS - Tourette Awareness - with the show's producer, actress and Donald Cohen (TS expert)
Summary of the show here
Forthcoming Events
The TSA Website has info about event in Liverpool this month, and upcoming TV and magazine interview. See this page
Happy Birthday! 22.2.01
Hey!
The site is one year old today
We're almost at 20,000 visitors (we'll hit that milestone within the next week) - now
averaging 100 visits (not hits which would be far higher) a day
The Beast Within 15.2.01
New! Sent in by Sarah
Will be shown on Satellite channel - BBC Knowledge on Wednesday 21 February at 9pm. See here for details
History of TS 11.2.01
I received an e-mail this morning, informing me that the link to 'History of Tourette Syndrome' on the links page was dead. Unfortunately, the page and article have been removed, so I've put together this page
I'm afraid I rarely check all the links on the site, and I am always grateful when people let me know if they're not working
Morning Chat 8.2.01
Sue will be hosting a weekly morning chat session 10-11am on Tuesdays - Be there!
Voice Chat 20.1.01
Well - what can I say? After a successful launch of the voice chat room last evening, Hear Me (the company who supply the script & room) pulled the plug. I'm desperately trying to sort out the upgrade/replacement, but it's turning into a bit of a nightmare. I'll leave it for now, and let you know when it's up and running again.
18.1.01
It's been suggested that we have a Voice Chat facility on the site. Personally, I'm not keen - I don't like telephones - and would much rather type in my messages. I've created this page so you can try it. Maybe even I will sometime! It should be possible to use text too, but I'm not sure how it all works yet - if at all. The Hear Me website don't offer this programme for download anymore, so I'm afraid I copied the script from another page! For those of you who prefer to type in text messages - just click on 'text chat'.
Will be shown on Satellite channel - BBC Knowledge at 9am on 7 February
Links Pages 22.10.00
I've had to split the Links pages again as they'd got too big, and therefore too slow to load. TS Links now cover 2 pages, as does Other Links
Contents Page 22.10.00
There are several "hidden" pages on this site - pages that don't appear on the Home page, but are linked from other pages. I made the Contents Page - and ALL pages are listed there
Internet Security 22.10.00
Since several of us were affected by the KAK Worm virus a few weeks ago, I've had a few enquiries about anti-virus programmes and firewalls, and the subject often comes up. So, made an Internet Security page with basic info and links
Animations 22.10.00
If anyone wants to use animated pictures in the Discussion Forum - go to the Animated Gifs page
Upcoming TV Programmes (That's Esther)
Esther Rantzen will be featuring Tourette Syndrome on her That's Esther Sunday lunchtime ITV programme - the show will probably be aired sometime in July. Watch this space! The BBC Discovery Channel (on satellite and cable) will also be screening a programme about TS - probably in the autumn. 27.7.00 The date of the programme will be Sunday 6 August, ITV lunchtime. 21.10.00 - The BBC Science documentary will be shown sometime in the New Year
Date: Monday 30 October 2000 Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London
Details on the TSA website Music at the AGM Click Here for more info! (Be sure to read all 4 pages)
I've added another Bravenet service. I don't know whether anyone will want to use it or not... You can advertise anything here - to sell, hire, lend, give, or swap. TS Books, Videos or even holidays, cars and dogs - I don't know!! Classified Ads Page
Saturday 26 August Chat
Linda will not be able to be there either - so it'll be a chat free weekend. Check in there anyway though - someone may be around.
Sunday Chat (18.8.00)
I am dropping the Sunday Chat. I just need to cut down a little, and it's been quieter during the Summer. Now seems the right time to drop it, as I won't be able to be there for the next 2 Sundays anyway. Neither will I be there on Friday 25 August. Sorry! If anyone would like to host a session - for one occasion, or each week - then please let me know.
Bravenet Services may be down for 1-2 days 8.8.00
Bravenet will be moving their services onto other servers over the next couple of days - our Forum, Chat and Guestbook will no longer share the same server as a million others. All their services will now be divided onto many other servers, so that capacity, speed and efficiency is increased. Bravenet say they will keep us updated via this link. We may therefore not be able to use the Forum, Chat, Guestbook, site search and feedback form for a day or two 10.8.00 Still not back on-line - they're saying maybe Thursday afternoon (they're 8 hours behind us though!!) 10.8.00 2240hrs - they're back!
New Bravenet Links - for Forum, Chat & GuestBook
I've had to change all the links (sigh..) within this site for the Bravenet Services - including the Discussion Forum, Chat Room and Guestbook. They apparently are being moved to a new server. For those of you who have these pages in your favourites/bookmarks - you will need to update them! If anyone finds a link to any of these which link to a site beginning "www3" then please tell me - they should now say "pub3"
Helen will be hosting the Chat Room every Tuesday night 8.30-9.30pm. If anyone would like to take over hosting the Sunday night chat - please let me know.
Jacquie Williamson from Peterborough runs a TS support group there. She also produces a newsletter/magazine. If you would like a copy - then please E-Mail her
"LEARNING MUST BE FUN" 20th and 21st JULY 2000
Venue: The University of York Conference Website
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Language & Communication, Aspergers, Tourette Syndrome, Dyslexia & related difficulties.
International specialists will come together to share with you the latest multi-disciplinary information.
FEES: (includes lunch & am, pm teas) £45 (£25 one day only)
Some bursaries for low income families, students, volunteers £20 (£12 one day only) check by phone first.
Fun Creche for "the little monsters" £6 a day (thanks to 'Snappy' SEN Volunteers of York)
Need accommodation? Please book before March 30th 2000. Full receipts, info pack etc. sent out late June. This unique conference will be run by dedicated SEN volunteers with professional speakers giving their services freely to assist low income group attendance. The University B&B is situated close to the lake and Central Hall - single £30 - twin £20. Please check availability by phone before sending payment.
For details please send an S.A.E. to: ADDept (Charity 1072007) c/o Bob Breen, 30, The Paddock, York, Great Britain. YO26 6AW. Tel. 01904 782556 Mobile 07 99 07 06 028
Favourites Icon (Internet Explorer 4+ only)
If you delete this site from your favourites, return to the Home Page, then add to favourites again - I hope you will see a new icon next to the site name. Sorry it's another seagull, I'm afraid I made it myself, and graphics aren't really my thing! If it doesn't work - don't worry about it! It's too complicated and unnecessary to bother about!
I know that a lot of people use web-based e-mail
addresses (Yahoo or Hotmail), either alone, or in addition to their POP3 (Outlook etc)
addresses. This company offer your name as a free, web based e-mail address, eg.
john@smith.com
Get
your firstname@lastname address for free at NamePlanet!
Or you can check if your name is available from the Home page
Life & Strife page 10.6.00
The page seems to be growing now - if anyone else has anything to send in, please do! Thanks to Linda who's just sent in her story - new addition yesterday.
19.6.00
I've added 2 more pages Life & Strife 2 - More Stories & Life & Strife 3 - Humour Keep sending in your contributions!
Links Page 10.6.00
I've split the Links page into 2. I was concerned about the length of time the page took to load - from the computer I use at work, it took 80 seconds, which is too long! My home one takes 20 seconds, which is plenty long enough! So, now have a page of Tourette Syndrome links, and a page for other links - associated disorders, education etc. Hope that's OK.
Colour Change 2.6.00
You'll have noticed - if you've visited this site before - that the colours have changed! If you have any opinions on it - (good or bad!) please reply to the message in the discussion forum. Thanks!
There is a new variant to the recent destructive viruses. This is the warning I received by e-mail:
W97M/Resume.a@mm is a variant of the W97M/Melissa family with a very dangerous payload. McAfee AVERT has given it a risk assessment of MEDIUM--ON WATCH. This is a worm and it spreads through email with an attachment in this format:
Subject: Resume - Janet Simons
To: Director of Sales/Marketing,
Message:
Attached is my resume with a list of references contained within. Please feel free to call
or email me if you have any further questions regarding my experience. I am looking
forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Janet Simons.
Attachment: Explorer.doc