NANFA-- American Currents - a coincidental opportunity to compare past

Denkhaus, Robert (DenkhaR_at_ci.fort-worth.tx.us)
Thu, 22 Aug 2002 16:44:59 -0500

I spent my morning digging through 50+ years of public aquarium detritus in
the now defunct aquarium at the Fort Worth Zoo. I had managed to finagle a
deal to acquire an extensive amount of stuff from the building before the
bulldozer arrives. Most of it is comprised of filters, both complete and
pieces and parts, and a hodgepodge of accessories but also some tanks and
about 10 boxes of various fish related periodicals. While carrying a box of
miscellaneous magazines and reprints out to the truck I noticed the corner of
a pale blue publication with the word "Currents" on it poking out of the box.
After setting the box in the truck, I pulled out the publication to find the
February 1989 issue of American Currents. A quick rifling through the
contents of the box turned up 3 additional issues from 1990 and 1991. I set
them aside in eager anticipation of looking them over when I returned to the
nature center.

On the way into the refuge, I checked to see if the mail had arrived and found
the newest edition of AC. Now I have the opportunity to compare the past with
the present! Without going into any great detail, there really is absolutely
no, zero, none, nada, zilch, comparison. The early 90s editions do have some
informative pieces in them but they also have a lot of filler (pages of
membership lists and changes in particular). The biggest difference is really
in the presentation. Some time during the ~10 years between the issues NANFA
went from providing its membership with a stapled together collection of
photocopied type-written pages without any photos or really any layout to the
highly professional periodical that we each receive today.

I know that Bob Bock has been involved in the evolution of American Currents
but with all due respect, I think that Chris Scharpf should stand up and take
a bow!! Chris, you've done one heck of a job!! <<CLAP, CLAP, STANDING "O">>>

Rob Denkhaus
Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
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