Hello Tweets,


May this message/reply also apply to Tweeters E-mail postings.

Sincerely,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan


----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Gates
To: Obol
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 11:58 AM
Subject: [obol] RE:Yellow-billed Loons


Guys, we need to be a little thick skinned here. Yes, OBOL is a place where bird information is to be shared by all. It's very important that every person that subscribes feels he or she can post and join in on discussions. However, OBOL has also, for better or worse, become the network for spreading scientific birding information around the state. For this reason, accuracy is very important.

People are going to make mistakes. I've made more than my share on this forum and have been corrected for making them an embarrassing number of times. As long as that correction is made in a civil manner then the list retains its integrity and no one gets hurt. I'm sure the list was not privy to all the comments made during this exchange but the ones that were posted seemed direct, accurate, polite, and worthy. Those that post have to know that they will be corrected if they make a mistake so that 800 other people don't get incorrect information. This is only right.

The only other option is to allow erroneous posts to go unchallenged. Then no one would be able to trust that any of the posts were accurate. We shouldn't go there.

Everyone, continue to post your sightings. If you're a little inexperienced (and we all are), be prepared to be corrected on occasion. If that correction is done tastefully and with good intent, take it and learn from it. If it is done with in a hurtful manner, let the list manager know or even post a complaint to the group. Don't just quit. Everyone loses when that happens.

Chuck Gates
Prineville, OR
-------Original Message-------

From: Sharon & Don Haller, Astoria
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2003 8:05:53 PM
To: Obol
Subject: [obol] RE:Yellow-billed Loons

>I will restrain my ignorant, probably even silly reports,
from this point forward.

Please don't. You were there.

Don Haller