Hi Mary:
Sorry I don't have time to go back and read all the threads, so I apologize if it has already been done.
One of my primary complaints in discussions over the aquarium trade is the lack of substantiating opinion. In fact, this happened in a painfully ignorant thread on coral-list not too long ago - i kept meaning to respond toordinarily pragmatic scientists, but the cumulative idiocy of so many made the task insurmountable.
I will say this is somewhat unusual, because it is usually the hobbyists who fail to back up their position, but in this case, virtually everyone was guilty. Members of the list who could have really offered something failed to shwo up and post, and one person in particular was requested for their input and who could have actually offered a lot, Paul Holthus, who posted the typical MAC political statement that said everything and nothing all at the same time.
So, to hopefully help this forum along in its purpose and not become a slander-fest, (as you well know it can be) - and to prevent a lot of the trite overused phrases, the specualtion, and the unbased opinion, perhaps you shoudl suggest reading material - upload it to the site if need be and with permission. Use it to support or discount.
Too many people say "we just don't know", or "the information is not available," or "we don't make a difference", etc.
I would argue that, while there is a paucity of good data for many issues, that in recent years there has been a storm of data collection, many recent papers and publications on the subject, and entire wrokshops and conferences devoted to the subject.
I would urge those participating in this forum to become aware of the issues and what is known and what isn't known, because the statement "We don't know" doesn't really hold much water anymore.
Mary, feel free to contact me for suggestions.
best of luck to your forum - it is a very good idea, and I hope that it can effect posiive change through education.
Sorry I don't have time to go back and read all the threads, so I apologize if it has already been done.
One of my primary complaints in discussions over the aquarium trade is the lack of substantiating opinion. In fact, this happened in a painfully ignorant thread on coral-list not too long ago - i kept meaning to respond toordinarily pragmatic scientists, but the cumulative idiocy of so many made the task insurmountable.
I will say this is somewhat unusual, because it is usually the hobbyists who fail to back up their position, but in this case, virtually everyone was guilty. Members of the list who could have really offered something failed to shwo up and post, and one person in particular was requested for their input and who could have actually offered a lot, Paul Holthus, who posted the typical MAC political statement that said everything and nothing all at the same time.
So, to hopefully help this forum along in its purpose and not become a slander-fest, (as you well know it can be) - and to prevent a lot of the trite overused phrases, the specualtion, and the unbased opinion, perhaps you shoudl suggest reading material - upload it to the site if need be and with permission. Use it to support or discount.
Too many people say "we just don't know", or "the information is not available," or "we don't make a difference", etc.
I would argue that, while there is a paucity of good data for many issues, that in recent years there has been a storm of data collection, many recent papers and publications on the subject, and entire wrokshops and conferences devoted to the subject.
I would urge those participating in this forum to become aware of the issues and what is known and what isn't known, because the statement "We don't know" doesn't really hold much water anymore.
Mary, feel free to contact me for suggestions.
best of luck to your forum - it is a very good idea, and I hope that it can effect posiive change through education.