Re: NIMH issues - the list owner speaks!

[Guest guest]

>o e-mail it doesn't mean they have access to the web as well.

>

>So I'm going to relax the rule on discussing NIMH matters on this list with

>the following provisos:

>1. If you have a problem with specific NIMH policy, then take it up with

>Council first before bringing it to the list.

>2. No abuse or flame wars. No accusing Council members of being running-dog

>lackeys of the pharmaceutical industry etc.

>

>And remember that all this is of no interest to non-UK members of this list

>(of which there are a fair number) so let's not flog things to death.

>

>It's only fair therefore that if the NIMH wants to use this list for

>distributing things such as press releases or advice to members then it is

>free to do so.

>

>I hope that is clear?

Not really clear at all IMO. It does not seem that the " rule " was

ever observed or enforced in the first place. Nonetheless a couple of

points...

1. Seems to me that Nigel has gone to a lot of trouble to set up a

NIMH discussion forum that no one is using.

1.1 Folk who choose not to access the web in the twenty first

century are arguably taking a retro/luddite position which is their

entitlement. Its hardly a reason for the NIMH web forum

functionality not to be used.

2. Despite this forum being called " UK Herblist " it is seen by both

subscribers and non subscribers located outside UK, EEC, or NIMH.

(There is essentially no confidentiality or requirement that posts

not be redistributed.) I do not see that it is appropriate to

discuss NIMH positions on matters globally across the entire internet.

** fyi i was one of several (like Henrietta Kress also on this list)

involved in " cyber-herbalism " quite early... eg i was a founder of

the Herbal HAll discussion list in 1994. The same year i gave a talk

at the NIMH conference about using On-line databases such as

NAPRALERT and Jim Dukes NSDA database etc ...at that time the number

of MNIMH that had internet access could be counted on the fingers of

one hand. Most did not even have a computer. interestingly, i still

stumble across things that i wrote on " lists " then that were copied

by other people and placed at various locations in cyberspace. Some

of these i certainly would rather were not there now Anyway - the

issue is that cyberspace is NOT private, nor is this list: this may

not be obvious to those who are relatively new to internet culture or

who those are bound by that particularly British variety of

parochialism.

I would suggest that the recent posts on s etc are entirely

inappropriate for public consumption, eg the exchange between CR and

TN which were purely Institute based polemics and not matters of

global public concern. Anyone on the planet could for example have

shown any of those posts to Boots, s or anyone else. get it?

jonathan

--

jonathan treasure

medical herbalist

[Guest guest]

Hi

<snip>

> >I hope that is clear?

> Not really clear at all IMO. It does not seem that the " rule " was

> ever observed or enforced in the first place. Nonetheless a couple of

> points...

>

> 1. Seems to me that Nigel has gone to a lot of trouble to set up a

> NIMH discussion forum that no one is using.

> 1.1 Folk who choose not to access the web in the twenty first

> century are arguably taking a retro/luddite position which is their

> entitlement. Its hardly a reason for the NIMH web forum

> functionality not to be used.

I'll leave it to others to argue the toss on this one.

> 2. Despite this forum being called " UK Herblist " it is seen by both

> subscribers and non subscribers located outside UK, EEC, or NIMH.

> (There is essentially no confidentiality or requirement that posts

> not be redistributed.) I do not see that it is appropriate to

> discuss NIMH positions on matters globally across the entire internet.

Absolutely correct, and I cannot emphasise strongly enough that E-MAIL IS

NOT A CONFIDENTIAL MEDIUM. Do not send anything confidential to this list

or as an e-mail generally. Once you have sent an e-mail from your computer

it exists in cyberspace FOREVER!!!

> ** fyi i was one of several (like Henrietta Kress also on this list)

> involved in " cyber-herbalism " quite early... eg i was a founder of

> the Herbal HAll discussion list in 1994. The same year i gave a talk

> at the NIMH conference about using On-line databases such as

> NAPRALERT and Jim Dukes NSDA database etc ...at that time the number

> of MNIMH that had internet access could be counted on the fingers of

> one hand. Most did not even have a computer. interestingly, i still

> stumble across things that i wrote on " lists " then that were copied

> by other people and placed at various locations in cyberspace. Some

> of these i certainly would rather were not there now Anyway - the

> issue is that cyberspace is NOT private, nor is this list: this may

> not be obvious to those who are relatively new to internet culture or

> who those are bound by that particularly British variety of

> parochialism.

>

> I would suggest that the recent posts on s etc are entirely

> inappropriate for public consumption, eg the exchange between CR and

> TN which were purely Institute based polemics and not matters of

> global public concern. Anyone on the planet could for example have

> shown any of those posts to Boots, s or anyone else. get it?

>

> jonathan

I would have preferred it if the whole Dr. s correspondence had been

confined to the Institute website but since it has appeared on this list I

have had messages from both non-NIMH and NIMH members putting the view that

although it was an internal NIMH matter, the whole subject of how we as

herbalists promote and protect ourselves in a changing world is of relevance

to all.

I think I would like some input from NIMH Council members here, I know that

the majority are on this list. Comments?

Cheers

Graham White B.Sc. (Herb. Med.), MNIMH.

Medical Herbalist

Bishop's Stortford & Buntingford

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gcwhite@...