This mail my be a complete loser; but it may be worth seeing what level
of response is generated!

Looking at all the mail this and other groups has generated over time -
it's staggering.
But are the comments the result of individuals raising their "pet"
subjects and then creating more comment, or, due to a desire to express
frustration or exultation with the direction the industry/ hobby is
progressing?

Maybe they are just brought into existence from the sheer pleasure of
being able to communicate with others at whatever level and whenever!

 Whatever - it seems a possibility that from within the group's
experience a set of topics could be formally identified as those which
are the essence of 20th/21st. century beekeeping.
What are they and why?
Some would appear to be easy to identify, others may be lurking in the
background, unspoken due to un-focused thought.

If it was possible for the group (active and lurkers) to state what
really concerned them and why, it may result in a better understanding
of the community and enable more representative lobbying to be applied
(% indications for each area of concern may be calculated for example).

My reasoning behind all of this is that I feel that we are far too
disparate and the so called representative associations do loose
direction at times - with the inevitable response being a lessening in
ability to guide and apply pressure when needed.

I know what it is like to be in a position of responsibility, having
held a position on the National Committee of the French Professional
Beekeepers Union - a very strange thing for an "Anglais".
There, on many occasions, it was a matter of reacting to circumstances
and not creating the agenda. A great shame and a factor limiting
potential development. (Please, don't get me wrong, my time with the
"Admin." was a great experience and was only halted on my choice!).

So, let your list come forth and show what are the different concerns
for us as a group of so called representatives of the beekeeping
"world".

Regards
Peter.