On Fri, 18 Mar 1994, [log in to unmask] appears to have written: > On Fri, 18 Mar 1994, Aaron Morris wrote: > > [much deleted . . .] > > I keep likening this issue to the issue of where do I locate my hives. > > I don't place my hives on a busy street corner, for more than just the > > obvious reasons. A street corner hive would certainly be a way to raise > > peoples' interest! But a street corner hive would also invite those > > whose interests aren't related to bees, per se. A street corner hive > > would affect those who just happen to be walking by (casual netters). A > > street corner hive would also invite vandals (mischievous netters). To > > avoid the passers by and the vandals, I locate my hives off the beaten > > path. And I welcome any opportunity to educate informed parties who are > > inquisitive enough to seek me out and request a tour of my apiary. But I > > don't advertise either. > > ahhh, but we *do* place our hives on "street corners" such as fairs and > expositions, in order to expose people to the wonders and values of bees. > newsgroups will introduce many people to beekeeping - people who might not > have come to it otherwise. > > the concerns being expressed by some subscribers about a bee newsgroup are > a bit facile and more than a bit elitist. i have enjoyed being a member of > this list for some time and i have gotten useful information from the > group, but i look forward to an internet newsgroup that will have the > worldwide circulation and open access that this will allow. i'll tolerate > the occasional "interference" in the name of electronic democracy. > > regards, richard > > [log in to unmask] > all disclaimers apply Thanks Richard! I am appalled by the irrational distrust (paranoia?) oozing between the lines... The creation of an internet newsgroup certainly will have very little effect on BEE-L. Most people prefer to read threads in the logical, coherent manner that a newsgroup affords instead of waiting for two days for a reply, trying to remember what it really was that you said. I don't anticipate hoards of vicious flamemongers subscribing to the list like lemmings. They are lazy and BEE-L is work. Secondly, the perceived superiority by virtue of being a scientific list is bollocks! I've been a lurking member of the list for quite a while and I have yet to see any high and lofty theories espoused that a high school student couldn't grasp, much less a clinical biologist. /* set soapbox off */ IOW - I think we're fooling ourselves. cheers, Bryan ----------------------------------------------------------------- "As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality" Albert Einstein