<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Colin Murray <[log in to unmask]>, in replying to an America On Line subscriber who is thinking of leaving our Celiac list if there is an AOL local forum, said: >Please, those of you considering using a local US based service - the >advantage of you remaining on this list server is that we in the UK and >elsewhere in the world can communicate with you. Go local and we won't >know what you are asking/saying/posting. :-(((((( As one of your listowners, I am of course biased, but I would like to add that together we are becoming a major force. As a collection of over 520 celiacs from 15 countries with nearly instant access to each other, we represent a very potent group for many possible purposes - -- encouraging food companies to properly label their food, and to use GF components -- assisting researchers in finding subjects for their celiac studies -- disseminating information on lobbying for food laws, new research, etc. In the United States, it is unfortunate that there is no single celiac society with the great bulk of all celiacs as members. The splintering into several groups has reduced everyone's influence. I hope that this type of splintering does not occur 'on-line'. Bill Elkus