Some TAG, AMDA, MAC History

[John_Brandt]

Seamaiden,

I was not saying that you personally were engaging in a smear campaign. I was saying that the MAC Attack files themselves and their editorialized presentation on the WWM site appears as a smear campaign.

Why a 2 day warning? You can post whatever you want, whenever you want, under the guidelines of the registrant's agreement.

 

[Anonymous]

John, once again it seems you find yourself in a situation of having to clarify, even correct yourself (honestly, I call it backpedaling). You addressed me directly. When you address someone directly, what else are they to think but that you are continuing to do so unless you qualify your statements otherwise? If you could make such qualifications a practice, rather than an afterthought, you might save yourself many headaches. Believe it or not, I'm trying to not actively work against you here.

Why the two day "warning"? As I said before, as a heads up, to allow some time for anyone who might wish to contact me and share their feelings. Really, though, I have said this before! I was trying to be polite (something sorely lacking, in my opinion, with how you're conducting yourself). Those who contacted me encouraged me to post these links. No one has, as yet, asked me to do a simple cut & paste, or leave their name or correspondences out of this. Again, you have access to the same forums I do (but with much more power than I), I am failing to understand your posture in this.

What is posted on Bob's site has not been doctored or changed in any way. Again, I find your comments to be out of line, as Bob did no editorializing WHATSOEVER (unless you're counting his comments in his responses, could it be you're misreading this?). Maybe you fail to appreciate his vast experience with the fisheries in the Philippines and the trade, I'm really not sure and won't try to get inside your head. But I do want you to be very clear on this point--he posted the correspondences exactly as they came and went. As someone who feels that she is counted among his personal friends, and who counts him as her personal friend, I resent your statements and find them downright insulting. Funny thing is, I probably care more about what you have to say about the man than he does.

At this point, you seem to be burning bridges as fast as anyone can build them.

I find that I am repeating myself, for the message doesn't seem to be getting across. I feel that, for the sake of the hobbyist, some sort of certification program will ultimately be necessary. Who performs this certification is of no importance to me. The CREDIBILITY of the organization(s) is of UTMOST importance, though. MAC's credibility is, to say the very least, highly questionable. Rectify this situation, and MAC could have my support. Become even more altruistic in the goals, and MAC could pull me even further into their camp.

I am taking the information I have gathered from many places, not just Mary, not just Bob, and coming to my own conclusions, as are many others. Some agree, some don't, c'est la vies! Maybe it would help if I put it this way: I have added another voice here, not an "anti-MAC" voice, necessarily, but one that wants to see a credible organization--NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE. That can't be so hard to wrap the mind around, is it?

In the meantime, we have many, many unbelievably poor families, descendants of people to whom we owe a fantastic debt, doing their best to survive.

 

[dizzy]

Hi all,

While I'm often teased for being a packrat, there are times I'm glad that I am. I've just uploaded some MASNA Newsletters that go back to 1995 which contain articles on the formation of TAG, AMDA and what is now known as MAC.

These are at http://www.masna.org/ms/newsletter.htm

The issues in question are those for 1995, 1996 and 1997 (only 4 in all).

I hadn't even remembered that TAG was a spin-off of an organization MASNA founded called "The Trade Committee". I DO remember the MACNA where the first official TAG organizational meeting was held and the overwhelming enthusiasm of all involved coming out of that meeting.

So the question is, how many organizations is it going to take to accomplish one common goal? We have IMA, OVI, MAC, AMDA, TAG, CORL and how many others and now there's talk of starting yet another one. It's sad that we spend so much time bickering and posturing rather than asking what we can do to help.

For several months now MASNA has been asking what we can do to help get netting to the fisherman but we've been told to do nothing yet because somebody else is organizing the effort. Where are the details of this project?

There's been talk of helping to supply "Wall Streets". Where did that project go? And which organization is hitting manufacturers up for wet suits, fins and goggles?

Mike K. said the fisherman are discussing their problems via text messaging. Can't we find a way to get a computer with Internet access to SOMEBODY down there that can communicate with us directly from the fisherman's point of view?

On a side note, I am personally offended by the comment that all non-profits are not to be believed or trusted.

Nancy

For Advantage

 

[Ad van Tage]

For Advantage

I feel very privileged and "advantaged"!

Dizzy, we should call you Whizzy after thizzy!!!

Again, much appreciated...
Now to read, and absorb!!!

Some "players/poster" I recognize,
others appear to have moved on,
or at least gone to "lurk-mode"...

Very interesting, so far!!!