I AGREE WITH ALAN MAISEYS SUGGESTIONS AND THINK IT SHOULD ONLY BE ELECTRONIC AND SET UP AS A SORT OF CONDENSED REVIEWED ARCHIVE. IT SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND BE IN A FORM THAT CAN BE REVISED IN FUTURE TO CORRECT MISTAKES AND ADD NEW INFORMATION. IF NEEDED THEY COULD PRINT THEIR OWN HARDCOPY. IT SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE DISCUSSIONS AND A DISCLAIMER COULD BE AT THE FIRST TO SAY NO RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE TAKEN FOR THE CONTENT (LAWYERS WOULD KNOW WHY THAT WOULD BE NEEDED I DON'T)
THE PURPOSE OF DOING THIS WOULD BE TO MAKE THE INFORMATION IN THE FORUM MORE EASILY ACCESIBLE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEARCH THRU MANY POSTS OVER SEVERAL YEARS AND THEN TRY TO ORGANIZE IT EVERY TIME YOU NEED THE INFORMATION. THIS WOULD PRODUCE A GOOD REFRENCE BUT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AS OFFICAL BY ACADEMIC CIRCLES.
THE REASON WOULD BE FOR EXAMPLE, IF A ANCIENT WITCHDOCTOR WROTE A BOOK ON HIS TRIBE AND ITS BELIEFS IT WOULD NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. BUT IF A NOTED ANTHROPOLIGIST WITH A PHD GOT THE INFORMATION FROM THE SAME WITCHDOCTOR AND WROTE A PAPER ON IT THEN IT WOULD BE ACADEMICALY ACCEPTED.
THATS THE SYSTEM SO PERHAPS IN FUTURE SOMEONE WITH THE PROPER CREDENTIALS MIGHT UTILIZE THE FORUMS RAMBELING POSTS FOR AN OFFICIAL PAPER. IF THE INFORMATION WERE PUT IN ORDER IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR THE PHD'S AS WELL AS THE REST OF US TO ACCESS. THE FACTOR THAT WILL BE THE MOST TROUBLE WOULD BE FINDING PEOPLE WILLING TO COMITT TO DOING THE WORK WHO HAVE THE TIME, ENERGY AND SKILLS TO SEE IT COMPLETED. LEE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO APPROVE AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PUT UP ANY MORE FUNDS OR TIME THAN HE HAS ALREADY HAS AS I AM SURE HE IS A VERY BUSY FELLOW.
PERHAPS NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION AGAIN FOR ALL LEE JONES AND ARTZI AS WELL AS ALL HELPING WITH THIS FORUM HAVE DONE FOR US ALL, THEY TRULY ARE OUR MENTORS.