RE: NANFA-L-- topics for discussion <NOTHING TO DO WITH FISH>


Subject: RE: NANFA-L-- topics for discussion
From: Bob Sinclair (rjs-in-silcom.com)
Date: Tue Aug 31 2004 - 15:27:32 CDT


Peter:

Thanks for your comments, sharing your view of the matter.

First, let me assure you I am sympathetic with the stated
goals of the BOD in restricting topics suitable for posting
on the list to those the BOD in its wisdom and experience
feel are suitable. At same time, after some years of active
involvement with a number of other interest-focused lists, I
know well that from time to time a tightly focused message
exchange will segue into side discussion that is not-in-all
tightly focused-in-all, and may have nothing whatever to do
with the interests of most subscribers. That is why in an
earlier message on the subject I mentioned that the Saab
owners' list requires the inclusion of <NS> on the Subject
line, and why another list I frequent requires <OFF TOPIC>
in such cases.

In my view, when someone initiates...INITIATES...a message
exchange that's off topic, he or she is out of line, and
should be politely told so by a private message from whomever
volunteers to take on the task of "policing" the list. That's
obviously just my personal view.

If you and the other BOD members are happy with the current
situation vis a vis the list, that's okay with me. I'll happily
continue to participate, no matter what level of "control" is
exercised

Bob Sinclair
Santa Barbara

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
Of Peter Unmack
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 11:55 AM
To: nanfa-l
Subject: RE: NANFA-L-- topics for discussion

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004, Bob Sinclair wrote:

> Good questions. Faced with similar thoughts, it appears that many
> formerly active posters have simply decided it's just not worth the
> effort ... unless the subjects are limited to "biology, captive care and
> breeding, collection, and conservation of North American native fishes,
> as well as NANFA-related business and news items."

And what else would you suggest we talk about aside from native fishes
since this is a native fish discussion list?

Much of the guidelines for this email list were developed because of the
sheer number of posts that had nothing to do with fish. Many list members
dropped off because of this (me included). I don't think anyone will
leave this list because there aren't enough posts on it.

And to deal with Dave's earlier question...

> Now to the question: If conservation is an appropriate topic, given
> that politics and roles of individuals, states, and federal agencies are
> often-in-least as important to conservation as is science, when would
> discussion of these matters be germane to the furtherance of
> conservation, and would they be allowed in the context?

These are indeed interesting things to discuss, but they are also highly
divisive, and it is doubtful anyone arguing either side would ever change
their mind, nor sway anyone else's opinion. In the end everyone gets
pissed off, NANFA looses members, and we all suffer as a result. It is a
real pity, as obviously these are very important topics to many of us, but
their divisive nature makes things very difficult. Just try a search of
the nanfa archive under the keyword politics and you'll find lots of
interesting heated posts. http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/

Cheers
Peter

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/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org . Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/guidelines.html. To subscribe,
/ unsubscribe, or get help, visit the NANFA email list home page and
/ archive-in-http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/.



: Wed Sep 29 2004 - 12:24:26 CDT