Hi Tweets,

I will limit my remarks to saying that John Chandler's post is as
incomplete, distorted and disingenuously self-serving an account as can be
found outside a tobacco company's public affairs office, and has as much
relationship to the actual history of events, personalities and official and
unofficial motives--the full truth, in other words--as Howard Stern's
journalistic integrity has to that of The Economist.

I will say that John's post, though presented personally, is pretty much
consonant with the official view of the Vancouver BC RBA's sponsoring
agency, the Vancouver (BC) Natural History Society, a version in which
historical accuracy and full context has been carefully omitted and certain
aspects emphasised or de-stressed, has been assiduously circulated to the
local birding community to the extent that some people here have come to
believe the official version even when simultaneously they actually know
better. I'll be the first to admit, ruefully, that the public relations
skills of the VNHS are quite formidable, whatever the state of their other
competencies.

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)