As a long-term ECOLOG member I have watched this list change from one filled with ecological ideas and cross-fertilization replete with many postings by senior scientists to one that is filled with job announcements (no jobs, seriously?), lots of posts about how messed up academia, government science positions, etc. are, and few posts by senior scientists. Certainly we're all a lot busier with forms, animal use certifications, FERPA training, and now at my institution a new continuing ed requirement for animal care and use, even though I've been studying these organisms for 30+ years. Okay, my point is that I suspect that is one reason (i.e., increased bureaucratic workload to keep a lab running) that ECOLOG has changed or perhaps "evolved" so that there are fewer posts that deal with substantive research issues or ecological debates and so many more about how effed up everything is. As more than one person has noted, sometimes these are even the same issue posted by the same person every 6 weeks or so. Frankly, although I'm deeply committed to mentorship, especially for unrepresented groups, I just don't have time to engage in most of what ends up on ECOLOG now, even when erroneous statements are made. I suspect that similar opinions are widespread among senior scientists. For mentoring of underrepresented groups I joined MentorNet www.mentornet.net/ about 10 years ago, and have found it a satisfying experience. I'm posting this because I think that it is a shame, ECOLOG used to function as an intellecutual fermentation vat for students, jr. scientists and sn. scientists, which is a valuable community function. Over and out. g2
-- Gary D. Grossman, PhD Professor of Animal Ecology Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA 30602 Research & teaching web site - http://grossman.myweb.uga.edu/<http://www.arches.uga.edu/%7Egrossman> Board of Editors - Animal Biodiversity and Conservation Editorial Board - Freshwater Biology Editorial Board - Ecology Freshwater Fish Sculpture by Gary D. Grossman http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Grossmans-Sculpture-Portfolio/124819124227147<http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/album.php?aid=2002317&id=1348406658> Hutson Gallery Provincetown, MA - www.hutsongallery.net/artists.html My ukulele channel - www.youtube.com/user/garydg29
