Good morning everyone, I trust that you are all having a nice weekend. I ask that each of you take the time to read this message all the way through and to save it for future reference. First of all, It's been great to see some of you come out of the shadows over the past few days and resume posting. Maybe you will inspire the rest of us to post our lines as well. Over the past week, I have received quite a few messages from members expressing their feelings about different aspects of this list. Some are of the opinion that the list should be strictly genealogy, that there should be zero tolerance of any non-genealogy posting. Some feel that there should be some flexibility to the postings, that it's okay to post a joke, or poem, or story that's not genealogy or more specifically Riddle related. We've had several people unsubscribe and we've had several more join us. We've also had some of our more active members go off-list with their research which to me is a big loss for us all. I've heard many comments about how the people on this list are viewed as a family and that as such, there's a closeness and a sharing that is unique to this list. I personally subscribe to over 100 surname lists and it's true, that this list is different from any other I'm on or that I administrate. I've been researching my own family since 1976 and I've found over those 27 years that I can't take myself or my research too seriously without sacrificing something much more important than the pursuit of a bunch of dead people. WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FINDING MY ANCESTORS??????? The living people who are all around me. If my research becomes of such importance that I find myself attacking another human being for bringing a bit of laughter into the world, then I need to pack it up and take a really good look at my priorities. I have spent the past few days trying to come up with what is best for the majority. After many hours of searching through the Riddle archives and the Listowner archives (yes, we have a list of our own where we discuss list problems) here's what it comes down to. I am the listowner, it's my responsibility to administer the list. The way I choose to do this may not be the way you would do it if you were in my position. If you as a member of this list do not feel that you can live with the guidelines I set forth, you are free to leave the list. Having said that, I sincerely hope that each of you will remain a member and that you continue your research here. Below you will find the new welcome letter that subscribers to the list will receive as of today. I ask that you read this carefully and save it for future reference. By no means am I saying that I am the only one who is right, or who knows the best way to run a list. I am not saying that these guidelines are etched in stone, as situations change, they may also. What I am saying is that as of today, this is the way things are. Any of you are welcome to contact me privately sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com about this or any other list matter. There is to be no discussion of this ON-LIST. For those of you who desire a list that is strictly Riddle genealogy, I have requested the Riddle Research list be created. If you are interested in joining this list, please contact me privately for details. sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com I thank each of you for your input, your patience, and your continued support of and participation in the Riddle Mailing List. Please read the NEW welcome letter below my signature. Susan sjblackmon@digitlapassage.com Listowner: Blackmon, Boultinghouse, Branch, Cauthen, Hammel, Hamil, Hamill, Harway, Pope, Procter, Riddle, Sprunt JSB Designs - Website Design www.jsbdesigns.net Whispers from the Past...... www.susanblackmon.com Welcome to Graham, Texas - On-line www.graham-texas.com RIDDLE MAILING LIST - DIGEST & LIST MODE 02-15-2003 PLEASE SAVE THIS E-MAIL - it contains information about how to manage your subscription, posting, guidelines, and how to contact your listowner. It's a good idea to print this and keep it in a handy place for future reference. INTRODUCTION: Meet the Listowner - Hello, I'm your Listowner, Susan. I'd like to welcome you to the Riddle Mailing List. If you ever need to contact me for any reason, my e-mail address is sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com Please send a post to the list RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com as soon as possible introducing yourself and telling us what line you're working on. If at any time, you have questions that are not answered below, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help you. I'm not just the owner of this list, I'm also researching my own line of Riddles. So my interest in the list is personal as well. Welcome to the list and good luck in your research, Susan sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com *********************************************************** PURPOSE: This mailing list is for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the RIDDLE surname, its variant spellings, and any allied lines in any place and at any time. We're a close knit group and we love to share our information and help others with their research. We may also share a joke or a smile once in a while. If you're looking for a friendly bunch to help you in your search for the past, this is the place to be. WORKINGS: The list is done via e-mail where you, the participant, SUBSCRIBE to the discussion list and receive the information either in digest form or separate e-mails for each message. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe in mail mode - Send mail to RIDDLE-L-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM with the command SUBSCRIBE and NOTHING else in the BODY of the message. Subscribe in digest mode - Send mail to RIDDLE-D-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM with the SUBSCRIBE command and NOTHING else in the BODY of the message. HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Unsubscribe in mail mode Send mail to RIDDLE-L-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM with the UNSUBSCRIBE command and NOTHING else in the BODY of the message. Unsubscribe in digest mode Send mail to RIDDLE-D-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM with the UNSUBSCRIBE command and NOTHING else in the BODY of the message. TO SWITCH FROM ONE MODE TO THE OTHER MODE: FIRST - UNSUBSCRIBE from the current mode you are in. SECOND - THEN subscribe to the mode you want to change to. NOMAIL MODE: There is no NOMAIL mode. All you have to do is to unsubscribe if you want to stop receiving messages for vacation or any other reason, and then subscribe again once you want to receive mail again. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> HOW TO SEND MAIL TO THE DISCUSSION LIST: Mailing address for postings is RIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com All mail sent to this address will automatically be sent to the list & digest mode subscribers. CHANGING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS: If you change your e-mail address please follow the Unsubscribe instructions above. If you have already dropped the email address under which you subscribed, inform me sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com immediately so that I can change your mailings as the mail system will automatically remove you after 3 bounces. i.e., if your mail gets returned for some unknown reason. If you do not receive any mail for a few days, and feel that the list is indeed busier than no messages at all, let me know so that I can check on your settings and you may have to re-subscribe ********************************************************** DO NOTS - #1 - DO NOT FLAME PEOPLE - That means to send argumentative or critical messages attacking someone on the list IF YOU ARE FLAMED, DO NOT RESPOND VIA THE LIST!!!! ANY personal attacks whether public or private by listmembers will result in immediate removal from the list. Notify the listowner of any private attacks by forwarding the complete e-mail to sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com The most important key on your keyboard is the DELETE key. If you don't like a message, delete it. Don't send remarks back to the list. This just produces more junk and useless messages. If you feel there is a serious problem caused by someone, e-mail me at sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com . #2 - If something posted to the list bothers you, please respond privately to me at sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com DO NOT POST COMPLAINTS TO THE LIST DO NOT POST YOUR OPINION OF HOW THE LIST SHOULD BE RUN. If you do, your posting privileges will be suspended. #3 - DO NOT POST VIRUS WARNINGS - IF, you get a virus warning and you know, that you know, that you know it's legitimate. DO NOT post it to the list. Contact me sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com I'll check it out and if indeed it is legitimate, I'll post it to the list. #4 - DO NOT POST SPAM TO THE LIST - Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most Spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, quasi-legal services, or chain letters. Chit-chat about the weather, the personal lives of members, or the occasional joke is NOT Spam. #5 - DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPITALS - IT'S LIKE SHOUTING! #6 - DO NOT post a request for a ROLL CALL from time to time, I may ask for one but it will always be for a predetermined length of time. There now, that wasn't so painful. ;-} %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Now for the DO'S - #1 - DO remember that I am the Listowner and if you need help with a list problem, that's why I'm here. Please feel free to contact me at sjblackmon@digitalpassage.com #2 - DO remember your manners. Every message you post goes out to everyone on this list (169 subscribers as of 2-15-2003). Keep in mind that some of the subscribers to this list only have access to a computer at work or at a library and therefore have constraints on their time. #3 - DO remember that each of these messages is also archived so that you or anyone else may go back and look through them. As of 2-15-2003, there were 10,587 messages in the archives. Each one of those messages takes up space on the Rootsweb server so please post responsibly. #4 - DO try to make your subject line match the message. I've noticed over the years that MANY times the subject has nothing to do with the actual message. Take a minute to think about how you might one day search for this archived information and give it a good subject line. #5 - DO remember to be an active member of the list, don't be a lurker sitting back and watching and never contributing. #6 - DO remember to repost your information at least once a month. You break down those brick walls by chipping away at them. You never know when someone new will join the list and have the answer to your question. #7 - DO remember that while the MAIN focus of this list is the discussion of the RIDDLE surname and it's variant spellings, it is also in essence an extended family and as such, the OCCASIONAL discussion of computer problems, current events, and even a joke might be posted. If you are in doubt as to acceptability of something you want to post, contact me first and we'll work it out together. #8 - DO remember that we are all human, we each have different personalities, backgrounds, and beliefs. We all make mistakes and we all have feelings. Keep your sense of humor and respect each other. #9 - Do remember that this is only genealogy, not life or death. #10 - DO remember that each of you has the right to your own opinion and the freedom of choice and if you don't like the way I choose to run this list, you are free to leave at any time. While I have taken a great deal of time in laying out the guidelines for this list, it is just not possible to please everybody. To that end, I say this; if you leave this list because you are so serious that you don't have time for a laugh or to get to know us as people, you're only cheating yourself out of some great friends and the help of some excellent researchers. That said, good luck with your research and may you fill all the branches of your family tree with many leaves. Susan