> Here is an Url to the Photo I took of Apimondia BEE-L People
> http://apimo.dk/programs/bee_l.jpg
Thanks to Jorn for getting a snapshot onto the web so fast. Seems like only
moments ago we were sitting elbow to elbow in the Lions Pub with Jorn and many
others from BEE-L. Jets make the world a small place.
Although we have pictures and names of a few of us, this photo is just the tip
of the iceberg. Many, many more BEE-Lers were present at the meeting and just
didn't get in front of this particular camera. We shot a few rolls ourselves
and so did others, and I expect that we will have a few more photos posted to
the web before long. (BEE-L does not permit binaries such as JPEGS on the list,
but we are always glad to receive pointers to URLS of interest).
James Bach managed to organize a room for us to cluster in early in the week,
and I counted about 50 people who either came and stayed, or passed through.
The meeting wasn't formal, but just a chance to put faces to names. It was much
like BEE-L; everyone pretty well sat or stood around without any specific podium
and the centre of discussion passed around the room, with different individuals
being the focus at different points in the flow. People came and people went.
At times, everyone sat and listened respectfully while one person or another
made a point. Some people moved into the centre, others lurked at the edges.
At the end, about 20 diehards headed for the bar.
Although there were as many as 50 who came to see what the meeting was about --
and it was held with little publicity at the end of a long day in an obscure
room -- downstairs, I met many more BEE-L people who were not at the meeting.
I'd estimate that at least another 50 were running booths or busy with other
things at the time, or simply uninterested in the idea of a get-together. Some
only came for a few days and missed the day of the meeting.
My best guess would be a *minimum* of 120 BEE-L subscribers attended Apimondia,
and of that number, some were from distant points on the globe. A significant
number were working there or presenting. Considering that we have 948 members
now, that is a good representation! On a percentage basis, I suspect that we
are only beaten by the British Columbia Beekeepers Association.
I was also stuck by the respect that BEE-L is attaining in all quarters -- lay
and scientific alike -- and the spontaneous praise from many for the moderators'
work to maintain and raise the list quality, and to control unnecessary volume.
It seems to me that the last time I looked a few weeks ago, we were at about 800
names, and now we are pushing 1,000, so something is happening. I hope that we
can overcome the limits to growth that have held us under 1,000 for so many
years. I firmly believe that quality and universality is the key.
BEE-L provides a listening point for everyone in the honey bee world to keep
abreast of the ideas -- novel, proven, unproven, and sometimes just plain
wrong -- that are in circulation at any moment. I am sure that the wishes and
beliefs expressed right here inspire serious bee research from time to time, and
I don't think it is any coincidence that ideas brought up here on BEE-L appear
some short time afterwards in the bee press, both electronic and paper. (The
fact that some BEE-L members happen to write columns may have something to do
with that).
It's 3 AM and I'm still awake trying to figure out what the 'take home' message
was for me from Apimondia. Anyone have any suggestions?
allen
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