From: Laurent Vuilleumier < >
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 14:07:36 -0700
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.02 [en] (Win95; I)
Status: RO

Hello everybody,

At the time the consulate joined the Swiss-List, they first asked
if it was OK with us. After some debate on the list we told them
they were welcome to join the Swiss-list. The rationale behind
that was 1) The vast majority of the messages exchanged were
in favor of the consulate joining the Swiss-list. 2) The benefits of
having an open channel of communication with the consulate
far outweigh the risks of the consulate spying on us (frankly, I
am having a hard time imagining somebody at the consulate
recording the messages exchanged on this list to check whether
every Swiss-lister is in order with Swiss regulations).

Now, the consulate informs the Swiss-list of what they think is
of interest to Swiss people living in the SF Bay area and having
an interest in science, technology and, more broadly, business
requiring highly trained professionals. From conversation and
meeting we had with them, the consulate is very well aware that
the Swiss-list is only a small fraction of their "clients", and they
certainly do not use only email to the Swiss-list to inform Swiss
people in their geographic area about what is going on. I guess
they think that since the Swiss-list exists, it can be used, in
conjunction with other means, to get the information out.
Personally, I do receive information directly addressed to me
by snail mail. It might be because I am registered in their "Swiss
scientist in the US" database. If anybody receives information
from the consulate through the Swiss-list, and not directly, it
only demonstrate the usefulness of the Swiss-list to reach more
people.

Laurent

--
Laurent Vuilleumier               e-mail: L_Vuilleumier_at_lbl.gov
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory      phone : (510) 486-6108
1 Cyclotron Road, 29C             fax   : (510) 486-7303
Berkeley, CA 94720
==========================================================================
This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list
server.  If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the
message body of "unsubscribe swiss-list" to majordomo_at_lists.stanford.edu