all apologies

[Craig Bingman]

On Thu, 2 Jul 1998, Robert Miller wrote:

> 
> Dear list,
> 
> Recently I made a comment to the list implying that Bill Precht, as an
> environmental consultant, might have some ties to the sugar industry in
> Florida.  I got this idea from the web page of Precht's former employer,
> Consul-Tech, which touts its experience in dealing with development and
> agricultural projects.  Precht quickly corrected me, and I
> apologize for any misunderstanding.  

It matters less when it goes away quickly.  This whole thing could have 
been concluded in one or two terse sentences.

> The comment was not intended as a
> personal attack, but as a call for general questioning of the motives of
> enviromental consultants.  

If your axiom is that environmental consultants for a given industry are 
less than completely ethical when they weigh facts, then that is going to 
a legitimate problem.

> I think that the inherent conflict of interest
> that may be involved always bears scrutiny.  
> 
> I am only a graduate student, and my specialty has been deep-sea biology,
> rather than coral reef biology.  Thus I was unaware of the severity of
> judgement placed on such comments, as Bill Precht wittily expressed 
> in the following note.    

Surely the study of deep sea biu=ology ghas attracted it shares of 
prickly customoers.

> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 16:59:55 -0400
> From: "Precht,Bill" <BPrecht at kennesaw.Lawco.com>
> To: Robert Miller <bmiller at soest.hawaii.edu>
> Subject: RE: Reefs at Risk.
> 
> Bob:
> 
> Just a personal note for your eyes only.
> 
> One of the rules of the game for being on the coral list - "NO PERSONAL
> SLAMS"
> 
> It's not the proper forum.  Next time you pull a stunt like that I'll
> ask you to be removed from the list and I'm sure I'll have grassroots
> support.
> 
> I don't know who you think you are, but your comments regarding my so
> called "underlying message" border on being libelous.
> 
> I took the time to look for any significant contributions you have made
> in the field of coral reef science... As I expected.. you are an
> academic dud. 
> 
> See you in the funny papers
> 
> With Sweetest regards (another reference to big sugar just in case you
> didn't get the metaphor),
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 17:09:06 -0400
> From: "Precht,Bill" <BPrecht at kennesaw.Lawco.com>
> To: Robert Miller <bmiller at soest.hawaii.edu>
> Subject: RE: Reefs at Risk.
> 
> By the way...
> 
> precautionary principal  is spelled PRINCIPLE
> 
> 
> 
>