Last night I watched one of the most enjoyable videos on the subject of fish I've seen in a long time. Nathan Hill, ex-PFK* editor had a couple of drinks and told us what he really felt - about trends good and bad, while covering what it's really like for a zoo, public aquarium, wholesaler, retailed, magazine published, pet shop owner, hired fish geek and just plain old fish pleb.
A lot of times when I'm watching a really informative program I'll, more often than not it seems, swear to myself I'll watch it again and take notes. Stanly Tucci's forays en Italia is really good example. However, after only a few words spoke, I grabbed whatever paper and writing instrument was closest without getting up and I made notes.
This then, is an essay that discusses these points, points which I think were so spot on I felt compelled to document them. That I can further comment on them is just icing on the cake to quite the bard who I think we can all agree loved a good bit icing on 'is cake.
The video can be found here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z3qNhouLM8 and is three hours long and only because he utterly wore out the two hosts while most of the folks at home watching were ready for more. Bravo. Encore indeed.
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* PFK - Practical Fish Keeping magazine, which launched in 1966 eventually replacing "The Aquarist and Pondkeeper" Magazine which ran from 1924 to the mid-1970s
(Translation for Americans: PFK = TFH. APK = Innes' The Aquarium, pre-Metaframe.)
In no particular order these are the interesting points Hill raised:
- Aquarium hobby - evolving or devolving
- What works in London and the South of England doesn't work in the North of England and vice versa
- Lots of contradictory information online
- The Fish
- Seriously fish
- Seriously, the fish
- hobbyist vs. enthusiast, retai vs. DIY
- Overthinking Food
- The problems ot looking up the right name
- Contemporaneus publication system architectures
- Questions for Nathan Hill