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Post by Karstscience on Apr 28, 2007 12:11:42 GMT -5
Latest word from Mexico, assembled by Bill Mixon from e-mails from Mark Minton and Bill Stone:
On April 18, 2007, Sótano del Río Iglesia was connected to Sistema Huautla. A crew was sent to recheck a dig at the end of the Canadian's 1967 map, and the alleged impenetrable mud choke turned out to be a crawlway with a howling wind. It was only 60 meters to the connection into the Sótano de San Agustín section of Huautla, where Matt Covington and Yuri Schwartz came out in the Fool's Day Extension shaft series, about 60 meters above Tommy's Borehole. The connection came during eight days of camping in Iglesia, both in the Penthouse and in the 1967 camp at -450 meters. Besides Matt and Yuri, Vickie Siegel, Bill Stone, and David Ochel were involved in the underground-camp push. The connection has increased the length of Sistema Huautla to over 61 kilometers; its depth in unchanged.
Higher in Sótano del Río Iglesia, about 1.5 kilometers of new passages were found by Bill Steele, Diana Tomchick, Mark Minton, and Yvonne Droms, providing several alternate routes from the river entrance to the Penthouse, dropping in through domes in the ceiling of the huge room. The relatively small expedition has not so far found a way to follow the main Río Iglesia river deeper, though.
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Post by Karstscience on Sept 2, 2006 16:01:07 GMT -5
I think that unfortunately this discussion has taken a turn down the wrong path. This started at first as a discussion about the trip itself, the technical aspects of such a rappel, and so forth. After the tragedy became public knowledge, it has taken the focus off of the rest of the trip. This is natural and expected - of course people's innate curiosities will present themselves in such a situation. Of course people want to know what really happened. Of course people are asking all kinds of questions and want answers. But the bottom line is not one person on this forum should expect to have the RIGHT to know all the answers. *Especially when it is highly likely that some questions will never be answered, even for the team members themselves.* You can all ask as many questions as you want - I agree that each person has the right to post opinions and discuss whatever comes of those posts. That is the whole purpose of this forum. Unfortunately it is natural to upset or anger people - this is what happens when discussing something that is so deeply personal to some. We are humans and emotional creatures. Please, everyone, just remember to respect the team members, their families, and most of all, Philip Robinson and his family and friends. If the team wishes to not discuss or answer any questions, so be it. But please be aware that speculation and statements without facts can feed people’s curiosity and sometimes fury, and therefore will create a flame-war that can very soon get out of hand. I believe that if you wish to discuss the Thor expedition, the topic should turn back to the trip itself and not myspace, grits (which was actually funny…thanks for lightening the mood), or people’s theories. I’m sure if any of you know the team members personally you will have your chance at some point to ask them any questions you want - and they will either answer them or they won’t. But I don’t see that anything is being gained by this discussion in its present format. If you read about any great expedition, whether mountaineering, climbing, or whatever – most of them have their fair share of tragedy combined with triumph. And this trip was no exception. I am asking you all to please understand this basic fact and turn your attention back to the rest of the expedition if you should all decide that this is still a topic worth discussing. Thank you. Cavebangor: While this discussion may have unfortunately taken a wrong turn, it is even more unfortunate that the Thor expedition took a wrong turn. A discussion of the technical aspects of the trip, setting a new world record and such would have all been well and good if the trip had not produced a rappelling fatality. After the ranger's death however, the focus of the trip shifted considerably, as it should have. The caving community does have a right to expect to have the known facts surrounding the rappelling fatality available. What's done is done. We now need to focus on what went wrong; if Robinson lost control, when did he lose control, and why did he lose control? Was human error, equipment malfunction, or poor judgment involved? What gear did Robinson use, his own, or borrowed from someone on the team? How much rappelling experience did Robinson have? Any experience rappelling over 100 feet, 500 feet, 1000 feet? How many bars were still in place upon impact or when someone from the team reached him? Were there rope burns on his hands? Were there spacers on the rack he was using? We can learn from the answers to these and other questions, perhaps preventing future rappelling fatalities and the associated trauma experienced by Thor members. Why do you believe it is natural for Thor members to be upset or angry when faced with questions regarding Robinson's death? Cavebangor, please be aware that when cavers are involved in a rappelling fatality the absence of facts, or intentionally vague statements given by team representatives, will lead to speculation. Agreed, speculation and statements without facts can get out of hand. If you do not want speculation within the caving community, give them the facts to work with. If team Thor does not want to distribute facts, so be it, but allow the rest of the caving community to speculate without the interference of yourself or insults from caver's wife. The death of Philip Robinson will be a topic worthy of discussion until the questions are answered. If the topic were not worthy of discussion you would not be here trying to direct cavers to discuss the trip rather than the fatality.
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Post by Karstscience on Aug 15, 2006 18:01:23 GMT -5
The website doesn't shed much light on the topic. Who actually completed the rappel and ascent? All of them? What about the situation with the park ranger? Who loaned Robinson gear or did he have his own?
Tim White - Are you still expecting a report of events surrounding the expedition to be forthcoming?
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Post by Karstscience on Jun 25, 2006 12:59:57 GMT -5
Nature lovers refurbish parks on volunteer vacations 6/24/2006 Summer is here and people are starting to think about vacation, a chance to get away from work and take it easy. But for one group of people who are already retired, they'd rather spend vacation time helping out at Texas state parks. Sixteen people spent their week’s vacation doing manual labor at Longhorn Cavern State Park in Burnet. Volunteer vacations are organized by the American Hiking Society and the Sierra Club. Texas Parks and Wildlife feeds them, and volunteers sleep in tents on park grounds at night and refurbish trails during the day. Many of the volunteers are retirees. Fred Winkler, 83, of Austin, said he retired in 1965 and now volunteers two or three weeks a year. "No one should be able to retire until they're 85. Cause look at us fellows working at 76. Now 76 and 83, why we can still move! When I retired in 1991, there was a void in my life. And the void was meeting new people, doing tasks, working as a team," volunteer Ray Mullen said. Sixteen people spent their week's vacation helping out at Longhorn Cavern State Park in Burnet. Volunteers put in six to eight hours a day of backbreaking labor. In their spare time, they enjoy the park, going on a river cruise and exploring the caverns, which were made 500 million years ago. "We couldn't operate the state parks without our volunteers. Last year we had a little over half a million hours of volunteer labor contributed to the parks. You're looking at a contribution of over $6 million in labor," Kevin Good of Texas Parks & Wildlife said. It’s a win-win situation. Nature enthusiasts spend a week in a park doing something they love. "I'm 76 years old. I love to work. I know one thing for sure. For myself, I hope I die in the woods. Seriously. If I had my preferences, it's certainly not going to be in an old folks’ home," Mullen said. www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=165216
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Post by Karstscience on Feb 22, 2006 8:43:08 GMT -5
Though the following is not directly related to caves per se, it could affect a karst region.
This facility would be located on Buck Creek near the I-66 Somerset Bypass. Anyone have more information or interested in looking into this more? I used to party and camp at the site they mention many moons ago. It is a beautiful site and does have karst features...please forward this to others that may be interested. -----------------------
Kentucky vies for bioterrorism lab State joins forces with Tennessee to put facility in Pulaski HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITERS
FRANKFORT - Political and academic leaders in Kentucky and Tennessee will jointly compete against other states for a $451 million federal bioterrorism research lab in rural Pulaski County, U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers announced yesterday.
About 400 workers, including more than 200 highly paid scientists, would study some of the world's most dangerous pathogens in the planned 500,000-square-foot lab, said Rogers, a Somerset Republican.
"This is an effort that could literally change the economic landscape of the region," Rogers said in a morning news conference attended by political and academic leaders, including Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen.
With a Biosafety Level 4 designation -- the nation's highest -- the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility will join a handful of other labs equipped to research bioterrorist threats, foreign animal diseases and other emerging public health threats.
Such facilities have been controversial in other parts of the country, where opponents have questioned the safety to both humans and animals should any of the diseases being studied escape from the laboratories.
While officials say there has never been an accident at such a facility, watchdog groups disagree, alleging that the government does not report them to the public.
The lab will not develop offensive bioweapons, said Rogers, who chairs the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
Rather, researchers will work to create vaccines and treatments for viruses that might be unleashed, purposefully or by accident, on the nation through its food supply. Such pathogens include Ebola, foot and mouth disease and the Hendra virus. (See glossary at right.)
The average salary of workers at the proposed 150-acre compound would be about $74,000, which would create $1.5 million in state income tax revenue each year, said Stan Cave, chief of staff for an ailing Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who was in the hospital and couldn't attend the announcement.
Rogers said the lab would be a magnet for scientists and technicians from around the world.
The proposed site, owned by real estate appraiser Brook Ping, sits in the sparsely populated Mark-Welborn community about 12 miles northeast of Somerset, off a narrow road named Fish Trap.
The Somerset-Pulaski County Development Foundation has an option to buy the land for $2,600 an acre, or $390,000, said Carroll Estes, executive director of the group.
Ping said he had signed an option to buy the proposed lab site before the local economic-development authority approached him about possibly selling it.
Local officials, who were briefed by Rogers on Friday, promised yesterday to marshal support for the project through a series of public meetings.
Nearby dairy farmer Steve Wall, 34, will need some convincing. His Milky Way Dairy is less than a mile from the proposed site.
Wall said Pulaski County needs more good paying jobs, but he worries that the facility might have harmful effects on his family or dairy herd.
"I've got my concerns just like any normal human being would. We've all got our little herds, and we don't want anything to happen to them."
Stiff competition
Other locations across the nation are expected to make bids for the lab, which would be built by the Department of Homeland Security.
"The competition for this lab will be stiff," Rogers said. "I would be surprised if we're not competing with some of the nation's premier research sites."
By combining the research capability of the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, the two states can "make a powerful case" for the lab, Bredesen said.
If the partners win the federal lab, it would be a feather in Rogers' cap. Although he is in a position to exert political pressure on the Department of Homeland Security, he pledged yesterday that the final location decision would be made by scientists.
The lab would replace at least a portion of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in Plum Island, N.Y. Built in the 1950s, Plum Island is capable of handling large animals, such as cattle, in a Biosafety Level 3 setting, but may be shut down.
Currently, the nation doesn't have the ability to study how viruses that require Biosafety Level 4 security affect large animals.
Although the lab would potentially house devastating diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, extensive safety and security measures should put neighbors at ease, officials said.
"I would not be afraid if this facility were located in my back yard," said Michael Blackwell, dean of UT's College of Veterinary Medicine, who noted that the facility would have its own waste-water treatment facility and that all air would be filtered before leaving the facility.
There are no recorded incidences of a virus or other toxin being accidentally released from a Biosafety Level 4 lab, said William Hacker, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
Unreported 'mistakes'
Lab opponents dispute that information. While there is no public record of accidents or security breaches at such facilities, the Council for Responsible Genetics has compiled a list of more than two dozen "mistakes" -- environmental releases, containment and security failures, missing samples, and exposures and infections of personnel -- at labs since 1985.
Those mistakes, documented in the news media, include the disappearance of anthrax and Ebola viruses from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md., in the 1990s.
The FBI suspects, but has not proved, that the 2001 anthrax attacks were caused by a scientist with access to a government laboratory.
Hammond, director of The Sunshine Project, said there are no requirements to plug reporting loopholes.
"All the incentives in the system are against reporting because you endanger your funding and you look like a fool if you report," Hammond said. "So the answer is, nobody knows how many accidents there have been."
State agriculture leaders do not appear to share Hammond's concerns.
"I think it will be good for the whole state and for agriculture as a whole," said Dave Maples, executive vice president of the Lexington-based Kentucky Beef Cattlemen's Association.
At 1.1 million head, Kentucky has the largest number of beef cattle east of the Mississippi River, according to the association.
Representatives of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the Kentucky Farm Bureau also spoke favorably of the project.
Those who live near the proposed facility were more skittish.
William David Bingham, who raises beef cattle and quarter horses in Pulaski County, said he favors research into diseases, but he wants to know more specifics about this proposal.
"I'm sure with all the government regulations, it's going to be safe," Bingham said. "But it's just like putting a prison next door to your house. You don't know what kind of effect it's going to have."
Members of the consortium formed to attract the project include Rogers, U.S. Rep. Jim Duncan, R-Tenn., Fletcher, Bredesen, UK, the University of Louisville, UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratories.
UK President Lee Todd said winning the project would boost his university's effort to reach Top 20 status among research universities.
"It will be a place for our graduates to go, a place for our interns to go, and it will bring related grants," Todd said.
Reach John Stamper at (859) 231-1305, 1-800-950-6397 ext. 1305 or jstamper@herald-leader.com.
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Post by Karstscience on Oct 19, 2007 15:08:02 GMT -5
A National Geographic herpetologist gets the crap bitten out of him while wading through guano-saturated water in an Indonesian cave. Attack by 12-foot python captured on tapeMSNBC - USA Screams of excruciating pain echo off the cave's walls. "That's an early morning eye-opener, that's for sure," a smiling Barr told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer .... The attack will be broadcast on National Geographic Channel at 8 p.m. ET and PT this Saturday.
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Post by Karstscience on Sept 2, 2006 15:16:47 GMT -5
Genetic Study Points to Bats as Source of Marburg DiseaseMore than half of those infected in a two-year outbreak in Africa worked in a gold mine where the animals were present, a report finds. From Bloomberg News September 2, 2006 The most extensive genetic study conducted on an outbreak of lethal Marburg disease in Africa adds to evidence that the disease is linked to caves and possibly the bats that live there. People from two villages unwittingly carried the virus from the gold mine where they worked to their homes, said Robert Swanepoel, a South African epidemiologist and co-author of the study in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1998 to 2000. The two-year outbreak of the disease, which causes internal organs to bleed uncontrollably, killed at least 125 people. More than half of the cases occurred in young men who worked in the gold mine, the study said. Genetic tests showed that at least nine strains of the virus were involved in the outbreak, suggesting that the men contracted the disease in the caves and did not transmit it among themselves. Swanepoel said he thought bats played a crucial role, perhaps transmitting the virus in their droppings. "We haven't solved it yet," he said. "The evidence for bats is quite strong, but it still isn't cast iron." Scientists want to know which species carries the virus without getting sick itself, allowing the disease to remain in the environment. "It's extremely important to find the animal reservoir of the virus," said Heinz Feldmann of the Public Health Agency of Canada, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal. "That's a way to start prevention, education and other countermeasures that can keep people from getting the disease." www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-marburg2sep02,1,4405080.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
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Post by Karstscience on May 13, 2006 7:13:03 GMT -5
Sadly, the Humble teen infected with rabies did not survive.
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Post by Karstscience on Feb 28, 2006 18:05:00 GMT -5
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Post by Karstscience on Sept 24, 2007 23:36:47 GMT -5
6th Annual Austin Cave Festival Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Village of Western Oaks Karst Preserve La Cresada and Davis Lane just west of MoPacBooths, Hands-On Activities, and Prizes. Free!* Come visit 2 caves and see how water gets to Austin-area aquifers. * See real arrowheads and how replicas are made by flintknappers. * Enjoy a Halloween storytime, nature performers, and a tree-climbing demonstration! * Visit Spider Joe and some of his eight-legged friends. Find out what spiders you might find in your own backyard! * Make seed balls out of native seeds and learn how to better care for your trees. * Do you know your watershed? Learn about your local creeks and what steps you can to take to protect them. * Interested in learning more about rainwater harvesting? The City of Austin will be on hand with information on water conservation and incentives. Visit www.bseacd.org for more information and directions.
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Post by Karstscience on Sept 24, 2007 23:34:32 GMT -5
Mesilla Valley Grotto is hosting the Winter Technical Meeting for the Southwestern Region of the National Speleological Society on the first weekend of December 2007 (12/1/2007) in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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Post by Karstscience on Oct 19, 2007 14:51:00 GMT -5
The Association for Mexican Cave Studies will be selling publications (and Mexican bat stickers) at TCR during the day on Saturday and probably for a couple of hours on Sunday morning. Everything on the catalog at amcs-pubs.org/pricelist.pdf will be available.
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Post by Karstscience on Jul 21, 2007 20:25:34 GMT -5
Greetings Cavers!
The 30th Annual Texas Cavers Reunion will be the weekend of October 19-21, 2007. This year, the TCR will be held at Paradise Canyon Park (http://paradisecanyon.com) on the Medina River. The site is located just outside of San Antonio below the Diversion Dam on the Medina River. The site has a half-mile of river front with many good camping areas. The swimming will be superb and there are even some small caves across the river.
As always, well behaved dogs and children are welcome. We have obtained special permission to allow dogs as the park generally prohibits pets. Because of this, TCR asks that you please pick up after your dog.
Feel free to post the date and location on grotto websites, newsletters, etc. More details will be coming very soon.
Thanks,
Allan and the TCR Staff
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Post by Karstscience on Feb 20, 2007 18:18:21 GMT -5
TCC Winter Conference February 23-25, 2007
February 24-Workshops-caving-tours-party. Where:
TCC Headquarters & area caves: 1800 West Park Cedar Park, Texas 512-249-2283 TCC-caves@austin.rr.com Cell Phone for information on February 24. John Worsfold 512-585-5398
The Texas Cave Conservancy would like to invite you out to a new event that we plan on hosting each year here in Cedar Park, Texas. The TCC Winter Conference, February 23-25, 2007 is an opportunity for you to get out that winter coat, tent, sleeping-bag and do some camping, caving, learning and even some partying. The cave CO2 levels should be at their lowest this time of the year. It is a time for caving. This annual event is directed toward new cavers. Even the old folks are welcome. Camping (with a campfire) is available at the TCC Headquarters. In the event of a real winter we can make space for cavers inside the TCC Headquarters.
Breakfast will be available on Saturday and Sunday. We will have an evening meal Saturday night followed by a special presentation and a party. Caving is available all weekend. With a ten-dollar donation for the old- time cavers and free for cavers that have been caving for less than five years, how can you go wrong? This event will be what we make of it. If you want to hold a workshop, cave ballads, slides, or what –ever, contact us. If it is not fun, it probably is not worth doing.
Most of the events will start Saturday morning at the Twin Creeks Conference area located approximately five miles from the TCC Headquarters. This 49 -acre park is a special place. With a 100- year old log cabin, springs, year round water, tall trees and a great shelter cave, this will be a great home for the TCC Winter Conference. The following are just some of the activities planned for the conference. Most of the events will start at 10:00 A.M. Saturday morning.
Caving-Friday-Saturday-Sunday.
Guided Tours:
* Lifestyles of the Indians of the Cedar Park Area - Bob Finger
* Cave Related Geology of the Cedar Park Area - Mike Warton
* Discovery of the Buttercup Creek area caves - Bill Larson
The TCC Owned Educational Show Cave - Avery Ranch Cave and the TCC owned vertical training site, Dies Ranch Treasure Cave will be available for visitation. In addition, a number of Cedar Park caves will be open for caving(both vertical and horizontal).
Workshops & Stuff. Everything at the Twin Creeks Conference area, following the Indian tour.
* Cave Photography - Ernie Garza * Cave Survey - Jerry Fant * Cave Restoration - Donna Mosesmann * Vertical Training - Becky Jones * Salamander Search - Andy Gluesenkamp * Cave Biology - Andy Gluesenkamp * Cave Monitoring - John Worsfold * Cave Library - Jeanette Larson * B.A.B.E. Pit - CO2 Study - Scott Serur * Hall of Texas Cavers - Dave Cave
Saturday Night Special Presentation: The Golden Beginnings of Mexican Speleology —Terry Raines & Associates.
Saturday Night Party at the TCC Headquarters. Mexican food and Margaritas, beer and soft drinks. (Dave Caves Saloon).
All activities will start Saturday at 10:00 A.M. at the Twin Creeks Conference area. If you can not make it until later, go by the TCC Headquarters at 1800 West Park and pick up info on how to reach the caves.
We will have cavers at Twin Creeks until noon. After that the gate will be closed but unlocked. To find the shelter cave, follow the orange flags. Don’t miss the spring.
Activity handouts will then be available at the headquarters. For telephone assistance on February 24, call John Worsfold at 512-585-5398. For directions or info prior to the event call Mike Walsh at 512-249-2283.
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Post by Karstscience on Nov 29, 2006 21:21:02 GMT -5
2007 1st Semi-Annual "Best of Karst" EventThe Student Karst Research Group at USF announces our first Semi-Annual "Best of Karst" Event January 24-28, 2007. We are proud to be hosting Dr. Alexander Klimchouk as our first featured speaker. The week's schedule (see below) includes field trips on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, a lecture and reception on Wednesday evening, and a fundraising picnic involving hamburgers and a keg of beer at Dr. Bob Brinkmann's house on Saturday evening. Expect to be hit up for money - we are raising funds for the UIKS Libary Fund to help replace the lost karst library. Also expect to run into other karst notables from around the country who will be present for a meeting concerning the Karst Information Portal here at USF. Event ScheduleWed. Jan 24th, 20074:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - "Best of Karst" lecture and reception (co-sponsored by the Karst Research Group, the Environmental Research Interdisciplinary Colloquium, and the Geography Department) Thursday, January 25th, 20077:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Florida Springs Field Trip, including visits to Weeki Wachee, Rainbow, and Homasassa Springs. Saturday, January 27th, 20078:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Tampa Karst Field Trip, with stops at Curiosity Creek, Blue Sink, Hillsborough River Dam, Alaska Sink, Poinsetta Sink, Orchid Sink, and Sulphur Springs. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. - Fundraising Picnic at Bob Brinkmann's House Sunday, January 28th, 20077:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Florida Caves Field Trip with visits to Radar Hill Quarry, Werner or Big Mouth Caves, the Withlacoochee State Forest, and Blowing Hole Cave. www.karst.usf.edu/BOKSchedule.htm
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Post by Karstscience on Oct 30, 2006 16:08:15 GMT -5
Congratulations to George Veni! And appreciation to Pat for passing along the good news.
Via Pat Seiser at NCKRI
..........The big news is that last week, at the end of the Geological Society of America meeting, NCKRI announced our new director - George Veni. He'll be officially on board the first week of February. In the mean time, as he wraps things up in Texas, he'll be working on moving things forward with NCKRI. Wahoo!!!.
Please pass the good news on to one and all.
Wicked Good Caving Pat
Patricia E. Seiser Cave Stewardship Specialist, Researcher National Cave and Karst Research Institute 1400 Commerce Drive Carlsbad, NM 88220 Office: (505) 887-5518 Fax: (505) 887-5523 pseiser@nckri.org
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Post by Karstscience on Aug 15, 2006 17:43:35 GMT -5
Group Cave Conservation - Cave Management Award The Texas Cave Conservancy was awarded the 2006 Group Cave Conservation - Cave Management Section Award at the NSS Banquet, August 11, 2006, in Bellingham, Washington. The Texas Cave Conservancy was represented at the NSS Banquet by over fifty Associates from around the country. Thanks goes out to all of the 200 TCC Associates in Texas and around the country that helped us to receive this conservation award. Look for an article in the next Texas Caver. The money that comes with the award will be applied to the purchase of Punkin and Deep Caves. Look for even greater things in the future.
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Post by Karstscience on Jul 31, 2006 16:03:35 GMT -5
I hope the Directors are able to find additional candidates, preferably from among cavers who haven't spent the last ten years in the inner sanctum. Birkhimer and Ormeroid are relative newcomers to the Board of Governors, but Cheryl should finish out her term as a director and allow some new blood to be merged into the Board. With a handful of exceptions, the main group of the past ten years is becoming an inbred bunch with a dismissive attitude toward the membership.
Past officers and directors are to be thanked for volunteering in their respective positions, regardless of how effective they may or may not have been, but there is always a time to move on to other ventures and let others take the reins. That time has arrived.
The past two years has seen the introduction of first time directors elected by the membership. One has to hope the first time directors will be willing to entertain different viewpoints, and if not peer-pressured into silence, will develop an open and direct (i.e., less corporate speak) exchange of information with the membership.
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Post by Karstscience on Feb 28, 2006 18:43:18 GMT -5
One has to wonder what Wayne Harrison was thinking with this report. I wouldn't put too much stock into this Lynn, as it reflects more on Wayne and his mindset than that of others. Is there a certain quota of posts to the NSS Discussion Board that one is required to make in order to avoid being fodder for Wayne's report?
The ultimate responsibility lies with Tom Rea, who "edited the report to his liking". With Tom's experience and long-time involvement with the Society, it irks me that he allowed one NSS volunteer to use the OVP Report in an attempt to defame the character of other NSS volunteers. At this point, with the NSS struggling to retain NSS members and aggressively seeking volunteers for unfilled volunteer positions, it galls me to see the leaders of the Society condone such actions.
On a personal note, I appreciate the greater emphasis that has been placed on the speleological related sciences and cave conservation on this forum.
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Post by Karstscience on Apr 23, 2006 2:53:41 GMT -5
A job well done by the Nominating Committee Chair and staff on the creation of the election web page. It provides a good preview for members waiting to receive a ballot.
Hopefully, the creation of the web page will generate more membership interest in participating in the voting process. I've long thought some instances of voter apathy could be due to NSS members not understanding how their votes, or lack of votes as the case may be, might effect policy and procedure decisions, election of officers, and ultimately the future direction of the Society.
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Post by Karstscience on Oct 31, 2006 22:15:30 GMT -5
EXPLORATION SPOTLIGHT in Speleogenesis www.speleogenesis.info, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2006 A new addition here is a brief info on the results of the most recent expedition of the "Call of the Abyss" project to Krubera Cave, Arabika, Western Caucasus (August-September 2006), with a new depth figure for the cave to be -2,158m. Snapshots from the updated 3D model of the cave are posted there. www.speleogenesis.info/spotlights/spotlight_areas.php?expl_area_id=4
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Post by Karstscience on May 14, 2006 23:24:40 GMT -5
UIS - Union Internationale de Spéléologie or International Union of Speleology
NCKRI - National Cave and Karst Research Institute
NCKMS -National Cave & Karst Management Symposium
KWI - Karst Waters Institute
TSS - Texas Speleological Survey
TCMA - Texas Cave Management Association
TSA - Texas Speleological Association
TCC - Texas Cave Conservancy
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