I have started a dialogue with a
fairly firm stand in my Editorial of the June Newsletter to MEMBERS. This
is another strategic shake-up!
As I see it Aroid-L and SAMPLES of the IAS
Web Site should be sufficiently attractive to those "on-line" to stimulate them
to join the IAS. First, it would be easy for Aroid-L folks
to join if they could use their credit cards "on-line" or
via FAX. International Snail (Snair) Mail is ridiculous.
If we continue to give away seemingly a lot of what we have in a "SHOP
WINDOW" on the Web Site and Aroid-L, FREE, the only reasons for non-Member
Aroid-L people to join are:
1. Idealism, philanthropy,
charity.
2. Aroideana (prestige & annual, more
botanical than practical)... and it ought to BE ABLE to feel secure in
keeping it that way for ALL MEMBERS PRIDES!
3. The "Newsletter" which WAS,
before me, a praiseworthy quarterly but a monologue, not a
DIALOGUE.
3. Provincial Meetings at intervals in the
States, mostly Florida. Nothing for World Members? (Aside,
please can I have the email addresses of Aroid Societies in other Countries
please, e.g David Burnett in Australia, Hi, again David!)
So, within a largely MEMBERS ONLY Web
Site there needs to be DIALOGUE, uninterrupted. A dialogue cannot
be quarterly. A Dialogue more than ten times a year needs to be
"ON-LINE". Any one who still clings to traditional print can easily have
it downloaded or printed out EVEN in COLOUR. The on site potential
is Space Shuttle compared with the dying cart horse of a few sheets of
paper quarterly. (At any rate I won't flog a dying horse!). A
Members only Web Site with 95% of what is developing there, with dialogue
central to its AROID KNOWLEDGE WISDOM & CULTURE is necessary. At
the moment, the World has the superb daily improving Web Site FREE, it
can exchange, get advice etc, etc, FREE on Aroid-L. Although
they PAY, Members have NOWHERE to talk and say pretty blunt
things just to the other 500 Members. The IAS is a WORLD Group
no longer a local Society. We must meet the new
needs. Thankfully through digital technology it is an easy metamorphosis,
all it requires is the WILL and I am certain that the wonderful IAS Members have
that. And also concentrate on making Aroid-L and SAMPLES of our
WORLD SOCIETY Web Site with Video and Sound, REALLY BEGUILING to Aroid
L folks so that they feel they MUST join IAS! First offer the
pre-requisite on line facilities for people in Tibet or Timbuctoo to join with
their flexible friends! Then I can end this rant to try get MORE
& MORE people to BE ABLE to take part in REAL DAILY AROID NEWS for
Members and to be able to incomparably more easily to get ALL the plants
they read all about but presently have no ***** chance of seeing let alone
GROW! With care ANYBODY can tissue culture in their kitchens! And
that and all the other "how tos"
can be put more on the IAS Member's
Site. I joined expecting to join others to DO MY BIT for our little
Planet!
The IAS is an International Society with a
MAJOR ROLE, not a local club just for for "nice plants"!
Rant over! Now I hope to go quiet
and watch the ACTION! Meanwhile I'll try to get on with trying to
get a HISTORIC SPECIALIST COLLECTION of PEACE LILIES and, (as a "BIOLOGIST"
whatever that is!!!) to continue in my HISTORIC WORLD
WORK IN HARMONY and the way Man
sings and speaks to Man.
The following Haiku is
apt:
The Last of its kind
Unutterably lonely
Just like Greedy
Man
From "Footprints in the Sand"
Ron Iles
2001
----- Original Message -----
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