[TN-Bird] ALL ABOUT TN-BIRDS NET
- From: Wallace Coffey <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: 1-A TN-Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2003 00:26:47 -0400
TN-Birders:
When I began operating bird nets about eight years ago,
I had a vision of what a list should be like and what it
should do and who it should serve.
I have always wanted the lists to be far more than just
a list about birds seen on subscriber's field trips or at their
feeders. I wanted all of that. I wanted much more.
It was clear in my mind that that this list should not
just be an imitation of what other state lists seem to
be about. We aren't that much different from others
but we do have a distinct and clear design and approach
that allows everyone to subscribe and enjoy.
We've kept the insider birder lingo to a minimal. We
have kept the letter codes for bird names and places to
as low a level as we can expect. We have done very well
in making our posts clear and easy to read and understand.
We have been civil. We have had a few feelings hurt
but much of that would be hard to eliminate anywhere,
even in bird clubs or birding groups. We strive to prevent
even that much.
We live in an age when people are hyper sensitive. We live in an
age when many birders and many people in general have
a great deal of anger about so many things and with so
many people. Society and psychologists do not know where
all this anger is coming from. Everyone wants every thing
to happen with a click of a mouse and few of them. They
want everything to happen now, quick, with the first click
and they don't want anything on their computer screens
that they have no tolerance for. They try to force that to
happen. They become extremely angry when they read
anything in any volume that they don't want to be bothered
with or don't agree with. They rage!
That's not all subscriber. It is not most. It is not many but
it is enough to see the anger.
At its best, TN-Birds should be a list about all things related to
birds and mostly focused on Tennessee and areas of adjacent
states.
The list should be for discussion, debate and exchange
of ideas and concerns. It should be about general
birding, learning to bird, equipment, areas to bird, good
birds, life birds, big days, counts, rarities, perspective for
issues. We should discuss public policy regarding
wildlife management as it relates to birds. We should
discuss any aspect of government affecting birds or
birding in any similar ways. It should be a place to
get to know good birding. Good birders. Good people.
Good friends.
We should be free to praise people who do good things
and challenge those who don't. We should be a place
to ask hard questions and a place to provide solid
answers.
Above all, we should realize that you cannot participate
in a list so varied, so diverse, with so many different
view points and such broad feelings of sensitivity without
someone posting something that any one of us will feel
a little upset about. All of us need to constantly focus on
the subjects, points of views and issues and not upon
the individual who is making comments. Otherwise:
don't don't be angry and mean to
anyone for any reason if you can possibly control yourself.
Sometimes we just get lost and we let that get away from us.
Don't be afraid to disagree with anyone or any agency
if you do it in a polite manner and with a good spirit. You
don't have to become real angry at an individual and
jump in someone's face to make a point.
For the most part, I think subscribers to this list achieve
almost all of that everyday in everyway on this list.
I honestly think this is one of the best and most effective
and most civil lists for birding and birds that you will
find. We are not the best at discussions. We
are not the best at tollerance. We are not the best at
insight. If you ever want to read a really hard-nosed,
tough, informative and challenging list, try Hummer Net
out of Louisianna. It is hard to take but it is really good
stuff. They can grind out any subject, theroy, or comment
with amazing style and passion. I largely lurk there and
on most other lists. Just like hundreds of TN-Birders
I sit back, learn from others and watch the flow. I learn
a great deal.
Many subscribers to TN-Birds cringe when controversy
begins because they just hate confrontation and anything
that is associated with it. I hope they simply delete
everythign that looks like that kind of message and
move on to those they more prefer.
There is plenty of room on TN-Birds for most all of us
and most interests.
I don't care if Jeff Wilson writes 10,000 words a day. I
always read his messages, looking for the jewels hidden
here or turned with this phrase and that. I can imagine
that some of you may never open his messages or
read them because his is a style that is something
other than what you are watching for. But most subscribers
are searing for a Jeff Wilson message and they are
searching for that interesting view and his different ways to
see things through his eyes. Jeff gets on me when he
things I am getting off track. I always appreciate every
word, even if I can't agree or fully agree (I do a lot of both).
Two of our subscribers were surprised when I forwarded
the message about "bitching" to the lists. The individual
was willing, with my permission, to go over the person's
own name to challenge other subscribers on that point.
I thought the point had been well made in that statement
and I sent it to the list without the subcriber's name but
with my name on the message. I wanted everyone to
focus on the content and not on the subscriber. Jeff
Wilson did not send that message. If many of you knew
who it was that wrote that you might be very surprised!
As far as I can tell, no one has even an inkling of who
that was. For that matter, it doesn't matter.
As far as I know, the only person on this list who knows
who wrote that is the subscriber and myself (unless that
subscriber told a friend or others). It is the honest and
unedited comments made in an e-mail to me by a
subscriber. I didn't think that who wrote that was as
important as what it said. It saved me from having to
say all that again for the umpteenth time.
That this is and nothing more.
Enjoy TN-Birds.
Let's go birding......
Wallace Coffey
Owner
TN-Birds Net
Bristol, TN
(423) 764-3958
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
=========================================================
Other related posts:
