...and his name is David Vossler- Certification Coordinator with MAC (I think that's his title). I have always liked David, even when I was disagreeing with him. Always at least FELT like he was listening to me unlike others in the organization. Anyway, he phoned me and wanted to come up to my facility and talk. And talk we did- for over 3 hours. He explained what's been going on with different aspects of MAC. I listened. I explained that it is important for MAC to stay in contact with me, not blackball me because I'm outspoken. He agreed that communication between us is important and that he will make a concerted effort to keep me up to date in the future. He reads everything on here, and said he gets quite discouraged sometimes at all of the MAC bashing. I told him that if he lets me know what MAC is doing that I will report that news just as quickly as any other news I report to all of you. So hopefully there will be better communication and understanding between myself and MAC. He gave me the updated standards and I'll be reading them this week. I'll let you know my thoughts once I form them. To David, I know you're reading this and I want to thank you for extending the proverbial olive branch and coming out today. Good to see you again. Like I told you many times today, please convince me that MAC has a program that I can get behind and I'll rah-rah MAC all day long!!
An old friend came to visit me today...
- Thread starter MaryHM
- Start date
Mary,
I agree Dave is a good guy. Hi Dave.
If MAC doesn't want to be bashed (and I'm sure they don't) they should not give good people so much ammunition to use against them. I mean honestly, they made a lot of this way too easy. If this certification thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing it right. BTW Dave if you want to post on this forum I think you will be better received than you realize.
I agree Dave is a good guy. Hi Dave.
If MAC doesn't want to be bashed (and I'm sure they don't) they should not give good people so much ammunition to use against them. I mean honestly, they made a lot of this way too easy. If this certification thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing it right. BTW Dave if you want to post on this forum I think you will be better received than you realize.clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
Dear Dave,
No, its not a movement of MAC bashing. Its a movement to stop coral bashing and allow an intelligent sustainable future for the aquarium trade and everyone in it.
The world does not revolve around MAC, but hopefully significant and meaningful reform will...if only MAC can learn enough in time of what is needed to do this. If not, it will become irrelevant like so many before it.
The balancing act of getting close enough to the cyanide trade...but not sell out to it...and close enough to the net caught movement...but not sell out to it...seems to have MAC on the fence a lot.
Money favors the cyanide trade and the exporters assn. and their buyers carry a lot of clout with you guys. Collectors and the handful of honest netcaught fish dealers carry little more than the moral high ground...little cash.
Thats called...the status quo. What else is new?
There is indication that change for the better is in the wind...but winds can change. We've seen it before.
Advance beyond viewing all this as personal and focus on the issue. Get right with the issue and you'll find all the respect and friendship you can handle.
I'm sorry so many fundamental errors and mistakes were the basis of the MAC movement. I wish they were not. These errors have kept reformers from embracing you...The force of financial need and mainstream acceptance is powerful and the need to sell certifications before training has been a severe slap in the face to those who care the most about solving the problem BEFORE banking on it.
Would you say that Marivi. Ferdie and the divers in revolt are really interested in MAC bashing? Thats ridiculous but it is their outrage and the existance of way too much bad strategy and planning that has brought us to the current state of affairs.
As divers and reform minded exporters expectations were raised by MAC over a year ago...and not met, so have been the expectations of allies and "conditional" allies. MAC will get as good as it deserves on the basis of deeds, acheivements and verifyable progress.
All we are saying is produce the deeds, acheivements and progress and the rest will take care of itself. MACs worth as a player in this drama must be pegged to productivity and not just the need to believe that things are automatically being taken care of.
The pending alliance with CORL represents something more than an empty handshake. It represents some real, professional, commercial net training with for a change. Something real and verifyable that can be built upon. Something beyond paper in other words...We've just got to get something beyond paper!
Squandering the years of opportunity to solve this problem cannot produce anything but failure. Is this the month we turn the corner or not?
I do agree that the bashing has to stop. The coral bashing that is. Forging a peace without stopping the cyanide trades rampage thru the reefs is called "selling out". Do not ever ask that of us please. It is extremely offensive. Try and understand your more natural allies on this please.
Sincerely, Steve Robinson
President, AMDA
No, its not a movement of MAC bashing. Its a movement to stop coral bashing and allow an intelligent sustainable future for the aquarium trade and everyone in it.
The world does not revolve around MAC, but hopefully significant and meaningful reform will...if only MAC can learn enough in time of what is needed to do this. If not, it will become irrelevant like so many before it.
The balancing act of getting close enough to the cyanide trade...but not sell out to it...and close enough to the net caught movement...but not sell out to it...seems to have MAC on the fence a lot.
Money favors the cyanide trade and the exporters assn. and their buyers carry a lot of clout with you guys. Collectors and the handful of honest netcaught fish dealers carry little more than the moral high ground...little cash.
Thats called...the status quo. What else is new?
There is indication that change for the better is in the wind...but winds can change. We've seen it before.
Advance beyond viewing all this as personal and focus on the issue. Get right with the issue and you'll find all the respect and friendship you can handle.
I'm sorry so many fundamental errors and mistakes were the basis of the MAC movement. I wish they were not. These errors have kept reformers from embracing you...The force of financial need and mainstream acceptance is powerful and the need to sell certifications before training has been a severe slap in the face to those who care the most about solving the problem BEFORE banking on it.
Would you say that Marivi. Ferdie and the divers in revolt are really interested in MAC bashing? Thats ridiculous but it is their outrage and the existance of way too much bad strategy and planning that has brought us to the current state of affairs.
As divers and reform minded exporters expectations were raised by MAC over a year ago...and not met, so have been the expectations of allies and "conditional" allies. MAC will get as good as it deserves on the basis of deeds, acheivements and verifyable progress.
All we are saying is produce the deeds, acheivements and progress and the rest will take care of itself. MACs worth as a player in this drama must be pegged to productivity and not just the need to believe that things are automatically being taken care of.
The pending alliance with CORL represents something more than an empty handshake. It represents some real, professional, commercial net training with for a change. Something real and verifyable that can be built upon. Something beyond paper in other words...We've just got to get something beyond paper!
Squandering the years of opportunity to solve this problem cannot produce anything but failure. Is this the month we turn the corner or not?
I do agree that the bashing has to stop. The coral bashing that is. Forging a peace without stopping the cyanide trades rampage thru the reefs is called "selling out". Do not ever ask that of us please. It is extremely offensive. Try and understand your more natural allies on this please.
Sincerely, Steve Robinson
President, AMDA
David called me shortly after Paul Holthus' #reefs chat (Hi David!).
He spent a long while on the phone with me too, which surprised me since I'm nothing but a small-time retailer (albeit one with a strong opinion...)
I concur with Mary and Steve - show me that MAC is worth my respect, do what needs to be done. Lip service doesn't go far in the real world.
I appreciated the time David took to speak with me, and on his dime, but I'm still not sold.
Jenn
He spent a long while on the phone with me too, which surprised me since I'm nothing but a small-time retailer (albeit one with a strong opinion...)
I concur with Mary and Steve - show me that MAC is worth my respect, do what needs to be done. Lip service doesn't go far in the real world.
I appreciated the time David took to speak with me, and on his dime, but I'm still not sold.
Jenn
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