================================================================== 1a. NEWS AND NOTES. Finding Appropriate Locality Message Boards or It's a Long Way from Tipperary ... When you are browsing, searching, or posting a message on the RootsWeb/Ancestry Locality Message Boards be sure you are looking and posting in the right part of the world. http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/board/rw/localities There are three yellow folders for Localities: U.S. States; Canada; and United Kingdom and Ireland. The other option under localities is: BROWSE ALL LOCALITIES. If you select the latter your 13 choices are: Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central America, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania, Scandinavian and Baltic States, South America, United Kingdom and Ireland, and Western Europe. If your family was from Tipperary (Ireland) you can't expect to find them searching the Germany General Message Board. By the same token you can't expect others researching your Irish ancestors to find your message if you post it on the Africa General Message Board. Pay attention as you navigate through the Message Board hierarchy as it can be a bit confusing. Be sure that you have arrived on the correct continent, country, and locality within a country before posting your message. Don't confuse Africa or Germany General with plain old General all-purpose. The Africa General is only for use when you are posting about ancestors who lived in Africa and where you don't know of a more specific location within Africa to post your query. Some countries only have a GENERAL board at this time (with room for possible later expansion), but that doesn't imply that the board is for posting of "general" messages concerning all the other countries. Lost? Use the FIND A MESSAGE BOARD option where you can type in the name of the board you wish to locate. Message Boards: http://boards.rootsweb.com/ .................................................. Previously published in RootsWeb Review: Vol. 6, No. 20, 14 May 2003