I fully endorse Ellen's position and do not think that this is "bickering".
The term "bickering" diminishes the importance of the subject. I have
been
critical before of APHIS during this administration, and expect to be
again. But they do seem to be getting their act together. The work is
important, but it will only be through a back and forth exchange of ideas
and criticism of ideas and procedures that the system will be improved.

At present, there are NO foolproof methods for ensuring that potential
pests can be stopped at our door. And the nature of the problem is such
that it CANNOT be made fool proof. Organisms mutate. Wind blows. Pests
from China ride the winds around the world 6 miles above our country, and
pollution is not only from "those foreigners", but from every country in
the world, including ours, all mixing in the "soup" of viruses, molds,
bacteria, excreta, metal powders, radioactive particles, etc. that we all
live in.

I am absolutely for an open exchange of ideas including criticisms. It is
the only way to improve our common welfare]

A few days ago, I was annoyed about the repetition of "old" ideas and
their
repetition, and posted my annoyance-- because apparently, some folks had
not yet learned about the ongoing restrictive conditions for
importation. But some people come late to knowledge that may be "old
hat" to others, and room needs to be made for newcomers with tolerance
for
repetition of old information

I note in passing that Mr Aley may not be aware of how threatening his
arrival, coupled with his eMail address, on this list was-- to some
people. He probably regards himself as benign, and his workplace as
equally
benign. but,..to others it had the effect of a comment such
as (Hmmm... You have relative in Odessa? No? Minsk? Is all
right..Ve can check.) The implied threat could also be rendered in more
clearly defined Cyrillic or Germanic overtones.

The Department of Homeland Security and its nearly unlimited power under
the PATRIOT Act is not viewed as altogether necessary nor benign. So,
Bill, I'm old enough to be a vet of WWII, and may therefore have a longer
view of certain kinds of events, including the forcible overnight removal
of my Japanese friends to places we didn't even know about for a quite a
while. Having the USDA under Homeland Security is downright spooky even
though it may be logical if one thinks only in terms of apparent
effiiciency and economy in a Table of Organization. It remains to be seen
whether it will be. Also, it's hard for the military aspects of DHS to be
reconciled in many minds with peaceful little flowers. Not ham and eggs,
but ham and chocolate truffles, with mayo on the side as an analogy--or
worse.}

Regardless of the utility or necessity of certain government moves
undertaken by the recent past administration, or one's view of them
politically-- politics affects bulbs, and diseases of geophytes, and their
survival in out of the way locations. I note the fact that military bases
have been havens for many threatened and endangered species, in California
for the kit fox, in Israel (The Golan Heights for oncocyclus irises ). I
mention this because there is a tendency in this group to set the
boundaries of acceptable topics for discussion wa-a-ay too narrowly. Down
to the species level and below for taxonomic distinctions of no use to
anybody except a taxonomist, and the connoisseur who wants to be sure that
s/he has the "true" species, when there may be no recent agreed-on
picture
of the entity in question. PBS works to supply it. Sometimes annoyance
follows close on the heels of such concerns being voiced...but
rarely. And Mary Sue does a magnificent "presidential " job of
moderating the discussions. If she wanted to drop my entire presentation
here, I'd understand--and accept it .

But I think that in order to advance the case of the PBS, and its future
without its becoming hidebound or calcified, we need to work out ways of
easier importation and distribution so that we continue to have samples of
what we talk about. If Bill Aley (WDA) and his associates can help us do
this, I'm for welcoming him. Maybe he could even help simplify some of
the
rigmarole of getting registered as an importer of small samples. Do we
really need a 10-letter password composed of 2 symbols from the top
line,... etc?. Sincerely,
Adam Fikso, Ph.D.,(psychology-- not one of the botanical subspecialties.)

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