Let me give this one more try. There seems to be ongoing difficulty with understanding and accepting the purpose of the Georgia Birders Online discussion list. GABO is devoted to the acquisition and dissemination of information about Georgia birds and birding. This is the niche we fill in the vast array of online discussion and chat groups that are given over to bird-related topics. We are of, about, and for Georgia birds and issues relating, at least peripherally, to them. This is why the list was established. This is how we justify our continued existence to our kind sponsors at the University of GEORGIA. We are fully cognizant of the fact that many, if not most, subscribers are also interested in other bird-related topics. For these, there is an enormous variety of other electronic resources. (See my message of 16 Aug 2991 for a few pointers on this subject; it can be found by searching the archives with key words "birding resources". http://www.listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=gabo-l ) You are free to participate in any number of other fora, or forums if you will, and it is pretty easy to set up your own discussion group via Yahoo or some other general provider if you have a particular interest not addressed elsewhere.

As I pointed out in my recent Admin message, we have been tolerant in interpreting the minimal GABO guidelines. If you feel that your post does not violate the spirit of these guidelines, does not include one of the specifically banned topics, and would be of broad general interest, then go ahead and put it up. I am acting under the belief that the vast majority of GABbers are people of common sense, good will, and courtesy - so there's no need for preapproval of such posts. Call it the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy (but do not infer anything at all about my own political leanings from that!). If there appears to be some problem, you will be contacted privately by one of the listowners.

We are attempting a delicate balancing act here among often competing interests... providing a valuable online resource to the maximum number of list members, satisfying the mandate under which we were established at the University of Georgia, maximizing the use of our limited archive space, and not duplicating the efforts of other online resources.

Marion Dobbs, co-administrator GABO-L Rome GA marion@mindspring.com