greid@adobe.UUCP (Glenn Reid) (08/04/85)
Judge not a newsgroup entirely upon volume. When you think about it, volume is normally considered a bug in a newsgroup, not a feature. Something like net.rec.birds is great in that it allows birdwatchers to share things. Is it really hurting anything by its mere existence? Should it be recreated each time something comes up (a rare bird) and deleted when it falls idle? Just what is the overhead for a newsgroup? I thought it was bad only if lots of unnecessary &*%*&%$ was posted to it. Like net.singles, for instance, which I read, of course, although I use my 'n' key and /^From.*Rich/:k liberally.... In fact, I have always wanted to see a California Condor, and in fact I recently moved to California. Imagine my surprise (and pleasure) at seeing an article in net.rec.birds about condors! So who's seen an albatross (of any variety), since this is, in fact, being posted to net.rec.birds (THOSE OF YOU VULTURES IN net.news.group, please note the cross-posting before you flame me in both groups)? One of my goals in life is to observe a wandering albatross, but I have a feeling I may never realize that goal. Please share with me any experience/knowledge. Glenn Reid ..decwrl!adobe!greid
winkg@vice.UUCP (Wink Gross) (08/10/85)
> So who's seen an albatross (of any variety), since this is, in fact, > being posted to net.rec.birds (THOSE OF YOU VULTURES IN net.news.group, > please note the cross-posting before you flame me in both groups)? > One of my goals in life is to observe a wandering albatross, but I have > a feeling I may never realize that goal. Please share with me any > experience/knowledge. > > Glenn Reid > ..decwrl!adobe!greid Well, it wasn't a Wandering Albatross, but I saw my first albatross of any species 2 weeks ago on an offshore fishing trip out of Newport, OR. It was a Black-footed, I believe, as they are alleged to be common off our coast this time of year. We were about 14 miles out, trolling for salmon, when it flew by a couple hundred yards off. It was immediately recognizable as an albatross by its extremely long, thin wings and its large, heavy bill. Very exciting! (and evidently a sign of good luck as later that day I caught..., but that's another story). By the way, a terrific book on ocean birds is Harrison's "Seabirds". Might be the best field guide of any kind that i've seen. Wink Gross Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, OR