Re: [Aroid-l] What is it all about?

From: brian lee <lbmkjm at yahoo.com> on 2013.08.08 at 08:02:35 Dear Greg, Aloha ("In the presence of the breath of life"). You have asked some very interesting questions.  There are others more qualified than I to answer most of them.  From what I understand, all of the people behind the scenes making the IAS function, are volunteers.  With that in mind, the question should be, "Ask what can I do for the IAS, not, what can the IAS do for me?"  Everyone is very busy these days and I cannot do all I wish for the IAS. What I can do is respond on Aroid-l, if I have an intelligent question or answer to contribute.  I also respond on the IAS Aroid Forum, when I have an opinion or just to welcome new people to the forum. If I meet other enthusiasts, I aways suggest joining the IAS.  Some do and some don't.  I am not on Facebook, so I do not know anything about that issue.  I would like to see more traffic on Aroid-l or the Aroid Forum, so if you have any ideas on how to attract people to post to those, that would be great.  Your post here seems to have attracted a lot of attention and that is a good thing.  I would be interested in hearing more about your involvement with aroids.  Are you a scientist, educator, or professionally associated with Araceae?  I believe it would be great if we could learn a bit more about each other and our specific interests.   My first love in plants are Hawaiian endemic and indigenous flora and their conservation.  I have a specific interest in Philodendron subgenus Meconostigma, which is a very narrow interest, but, I love to learn about a diverse range of natural history subjects.  My mentor in landscape design and other things was Roberto Burle Marx, who was an honorary life member of the IAS.  I met Dr. Simon Mayo at Roberto's sitio, before he left for Bahia and prior to his revision of Philodendron subgenus Meconostigma.    I haven't addressed your questions specifically, but, I did want to respond in a way that introduces one member to another.   Aloha, Leland From: Greg Ruckert <greg@alpacamanagement.com> To: 'Discussion of aroids' <aroid-l@gizmoworks.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 3:35 PM Subject: [Aroid-l] What is it all about? =0A =0A=0A =0A =0A=0A=0A =0A As a person who has beem a member of the IAS, on =0Aand off, over a long period of time, I am moved to wonder what is the purpose of =0Athe IAS. =0A   =0A I note that the term of five Board membership =0Aexpires in September and would like to know what the Board members do? When =0Aand where does the Board meet? =0A When are nominations called for the vacant =0Apositions? =0A   =0A Does the IAS has a plan for the future and =0Awhere might I find it? =0A   =0A We have a wonderful editorial team and, without =0Awanting to cause any offence, what is the succession plan that the IAS has in =0Aplace for these wonderful people? =0A   =0A As a non-American member, apart from the newsletter =0Aand Aroideana, what is the point of me being a member? =0A   =0A Does the IAS have a plan to increase its =0Amembership? =0A   =0A Why is the IAS Facebook page not monitored?  =0AThere is an increasing amount of spam being posted there (I am not the only one =0Awho is annoyed by this) and nothing is done about it. =0A The IAS has a financial membership of 365, =0Aincluding institutions.  The Facebook page has 850 members and is growing =0Aquickly. Why isn't the Facebook page used to promote the society and recruit new =0Amembers? =0A I notice I don't necessarily get answers to =0Aquestions I pose. Does the Board think this is a good look? =0A   =0A Why is there a high level of Society disinterest in =0Athe International Aroid Conference to be held in Hanoi? Is it because it is =0Aoutside the USA? =0A I have asked on Facebook about the Society's =0Ainvolvement in the conference and have effectively been told that it really is =0Anothing to do with the IAS.  This is despite the IAS being involved in =0Aselecting the site for the conference and the front page of the IAS website =0Aencouraging people to "Join us" =0A Nobody seems to know who is giving the IAS =0Apresentation at the conference! Why? Why will there be no IAS =0Amerchandise available? =0A   =0A I have asked thirteen questions and will be =0Ainterested to see how many I get satisfactory answers to. =0A   =0A Greg Ruckert =0A Nairne =0A South Australia =0A Australia =0A   =0A   _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l ---537478627-383836230-1375948955=:90099-- --===============3897370343953314100==

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