tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post5750799013180214010..comments2023-09-10T15:46:02.910+01:00Comments on Tales from the DRCongo: Please ReadUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post-86911075021029781042009-01-13T23:40:00.000+01:002009-01-13T23:40:00.000+01:00Adam saysAnd seeing Laura upset makes me angry, so...<B>Adam says</B><I>And seeing Laura upset makes me angry, so there are some things I need <BR/>to get off my chest.</I><BR/><BR/>Don't make Adam angry, you won't like him when he's angry.<BR/><BR/>Really though, isn't he adorable the way he loves his fiancee?Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17730138941024475688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post-43677874255820171152009-01-12T16:26:00.000+01:002009-01-12T16:26:00.000+01:00Laura & Adam,You have both been doing an amazi...Laura & Adam,<BR/><BR/>You have both been doing an amazing job in the DRC on both professional and personal fronts. Saving and transferring Aketi the chimp to a safe, loving sanctuary is a wonderful achievement and your thesis work is "ripe" for new knowledge of biological systems. <BR/><BR/>I look forward to your blog updates every week, to read about your programs' advancements but also your cultural experiences and observations. While the unpleasant elements are difficult for both of you, it gives me, and hopefully many others, a greater appreciation for services and comforts that we take for granted here in America.<BR/><BR/>Internet goons and the spread of misinformation are annoying downsides to the completely open sharing of information in your blog. While it's easy to brush off crazy strangers, the attacks from professional peers are harsh. A clear explanation to them of your proven methods is all you can do to alleviate these doubts.<BR/><BR/>I'm so glad you are both healthy and have acquired fries! The small victories and reminders of home will keep you sane, I just wish I could send you all a care package, including some TP! Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing all of your pictures once you return to the land of easy internet! ^_^Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post-55445387137623751952009-01-11T13:58:00.000+01:002009-01-11T13:58:00.000+01:00Dear June -- we just added an FAQ on the righthand...Dear June -- we just added an FAQ on the righthand side of the blog (under the Welcome message) that you can see here:<BR/><A HREF="http://lifeincongo.blogspot.com/2008/10/frequently-asked-questions.html" REL="nofollow">FAQ</A><BR/>It's good to know that someone who's been reading the blog from the beginning wasn't clear before -- I guess it's good to have some outside perspective!<BR/><BR/>And to Nathan --<BR/><BR/>Your post was extremely gratifying to read, because we honestly figured the only people reading from the beginning were our friends and families ;) The criticisms were not in the form of comments -- I received them via email from some colleagues of mine who'd been forwarded certain images, out of context, with an alarmist message about my blog.<BR/><BR/>I obviously work extremely hard to protect chimpanzees, so the implication that I am/was somehow doing the opposite was extremely hurtful. <BR/><BR/>I do know what you mean about the blog being less like a book and more like an interactive media... I guess my hope was only that people stop and pause before assuming that I'm doing the wrong thing. <BR/><BR/>I am honestly, sincerely honored that people are commenting on this entry and that there are people I don't even know in the world who are tuning into our little part of Congo regularly. The more people who are aware of the plight of the chimpanzees here, the better.<BR/><BR/>And for that, I thank you!Laura Darbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14075150657762708223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post-17040482021584567512009-01-11T13:44:00.000+01:002009-01-11T13:44:00.000+01:00Hi, I've been reading your blog from the beginning...Hi, I've been reading your blog from the beginning. It's wonderful stuff, and I would urge you to keep going with it. There are always idiots on the internet, and I really hope that you don't let them get you down.<BR/><BR/>That said, I don't actually know what you and Laura have been referring to, when you talk about the criticism that you've received. I'm using a RSS aggregator, so I don't usually see the comments that are left on your entries, and looking through your past entries, I can't find any critical comments. I presume they've been deleted? If so, then I fear that this is a mistake -- without a clear record of both the criticism and your response to it, the issue sure to arise again (those who have no access to the past being doomed to repeat it). Without the context in which to place your and Laura's responses, it isn't possible to really understand what the two of you are actually talking about. Thus it's hard learn anything from what you're saying (unless, I suppose, you're already in the know -- but this excludes newcomers to the blog).<BR/><BR/>I can also say that there's absolutely no chance that you'll get your critics (or almost anyone else) to read the blog from the beginning prior to making a comment. Writing a blog is not akin to writing a book -- it's a fluid, realtime, interactive medium. You've now written a tremendous amount of material, and reading it from the beginning would take hours. Very few people in your audience will be able to make that sort of commitment, even if they wanted to. It's better to think of blogging as akin to news article writing, with brief reiterations of the fundamental issues at each step of the way.<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, this is intended as friendly, constructive criticism. I really appreciate the work that you're doing in DRC, and really appreciate the time that you take to share it with all of us! It saddens me to see you so frustrated by the latter part, and hope that perhaps some of my advice will be helpful in that regard.Nathan Korenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16860581086371951026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7988040711406219252.post-77581210990374825442009-01-11T13:07:00.000+01:002009-01-11T13:07:00.000+01:00I've been reading your blog from the beginning and...I've been reading your blog from the beginning and enjoying your entries. I can see where the criticism is coming from (right or wrong) though - this post has given me more clarification on the sanctuary than any other post. Perhaps to stem off further criticism that you bookmark a FAQ post?Buddhaphishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08719590425236125352noreply@blogger.com