Farewell

Dave, Come on now. I think everyone here saw Bob's posting for what it was. Every now and then a dog's gonna come pee in your yard. That's now reason to sell the house and move. Nor is Bob's little dose of propaganda a reason for you to leave an otherwise productive and relaxed forum.

Jim

Hi Dave,

Your right this is a fantastic forum, but man you shouldn't throw in the towel just because of one person. Don't run out on your friends and relationships over this. You don't agree with me and some of your Friends also joined in and supported you and that's OK with me. Just as you can Google me everyone can also Google "Katmai National Preserve Bear Hunt" and they can come to their own conclusions. They don't have to take your word or mine. There is tons of information on this out there. So who I'm just one person who has very strong beliefs like yourself. You can see as soon as Tony and Roman said knock it off I did with no problem. It was suggested that I bring this topic to some of the photographers and see what they think and I did. This is a great forum with a lot of great photographers and many with whom you've developed relationships. I'm urging you to not to leave because of this. This topic is real hot right now and isn't going to last forever.

Bob

David, I want to tell you that I have enjoyed your point of views on this forum. Please reconsider. The term baby and bath water comes to mind and I hope you feel we are the baby and just through out the stuff you do not want.

This topic isn't real hot right now, it is only hot where you are posting it. I live here in Alaska and make my living photographing Alaska. Until you posted, I had never heard of it. I am a beta tester for some software and camera companies (can't say who due to NDA's) and because of this I am in touch with some of the top professionals in the USA and they never heard of it. It is a hot issue only because you are making it a hot issue. You confuse your emotions with facts. I called Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game in King Salmon Alaska and talked to the biologist who oversees Katmai area. I also called Katmai National Park & Preserve and talked to the ranger in charge and they both refuted your claims and gave me the facts (biological data). I posted what they said.

When a forum allows inaccurate statements to be made repeatedly, it becomes an unofficial endorsement of that view. The other forums I belong to, upon your first posting, you would have been told to knock it off and they would have locked the thread to stop the propoganda. Up until now, this forum has been based upon the free exchange of camera and photography info along with techniques. There is also great critiquing to be found here with some photographers that should be world class photographer, but for whatever reason, their talent has not been widely discovered yet. The information here has always been rock solid and if you use the techniques (even if different from your own) they WILL work. Even the amateurs here ask great questions instead of stupid questions that I see on other forums. I can't think of ONE person on this forum that I wish was NOT a member and instead, I am glad they are a member.

I have gotten e-mails from people who were thinking of joining this forum until they saw YOUR post. This isn't a political or an issue based forum, it is a photography forum. You tried to change that in a way that I can no longer be a participant.

Well David...sorry to see you go. Door is always open if you change your mind. Peace to you and your journey wherever it takes you....and happy shooting.

Roman

I have talked to James and have to decided to stay. I just want to clarify the reason that I decided to leave. It was NOT because of Bob Jackson and what he was saying. I was going to leave because I saw a kind of posting that would be most appropriate to a forum that discusses politics, agendas, issues, personal vindettas, etc and I felt that this forum was not the appropriate place for such a posting. Now I believe in individual rights but with those rights comes a responsibility to use those rights in an appropriate place and manner. Therefore I am not a big fan of censorship, but I also realize the reality of using censorship as a tool for keeping discussions appropriate for the use of the forum.

I believe that this forum is one of the best because we don't get into politics, agendas, issues or personal vindettas and I did not want to stick around to see this forum degenerate into that kind of forum. Bob is welcome to his ideas, personal vindettas and agenda and there are plenty of forums that specialize in those kind of postings. This forum is not one of those forums. Bob's post was carefully worded to encite emotion, not public debate. These kinds of posts rapidly degenerates into some very disgusting forms of communication. I have seen it happen many times and have seen forums disappear because of the degeneration of quality communication. I am relieved to see the thread locked and that it will be deleated because this is not the appropriate forum for Bob to post this kind of thread.

To the moderators, I commend you on a very tough job. It is tough to decide what fits this forum and what doesn't fit this forum. I have been there and done that myself and respect some of the unpleasant tasks you have to do from time to time.

Now BACK to photography, equipment, techniques and critiques!!!!

I'm glad you're staying, David! As a newbie I've learned a lot from your posts, whatever their subject matter. You'd be depriving a lot of us of your deep well of photographic wisdom and sage views. Thanks for changing your mind and sticking around!

Leonard

I agree with Leonard, thanks for staying