Hi all, I don't know how it got going, but the current wave of roll call messages need to stop, please. I haven't initiated a roll call because I wanted to watch the normal traffic on the list for a little while. Per the guidelines I posted yesterday... " **ROLL CALLS -- If we need one because of a too-quiet list, I'll announce it. Why me?... Well, with a list this large a roll call requires some preparation and instructions. I have guidelines for our newbies that help them be able to participate, as well. I also try to help our lurkers be willing to join in. It does nobody any good to have a roll call if half the people can't/won't contribute." I've read the list archives and see you're all needing a roll call. Give me about a week and we'll hold one, okay? If you want me to do a good job for you, I need to see what "normal" is for this list. Thanks for your cooperation. Now, I have one other item from the guidelines to point out to all of you ~ "7. Virus epidemics are spreading through the lists more and more often. It is unsettling to most list members to receive list messages from other members whose computers are known to be infected. It is my responsibility to protect the list as a unit. Therefore, any list member whose computer is known to be infected WILL BE MANUALLY UNSUBSCRIBED from the list until I know for sure your machine is clean. You can do this by sending me an email privately. If I don't receive an attachment or any other wierd thing resulting from a message from you, then I'll know your machine is 'recovered' and I'll manually resubscribe you. THE USUAL ADMINISTRATOR NIT-PICKY STUFF **VIRUS MESSAGES: We've had some pretty wicked viruses plague us the last 1-1/2 years. I was [thankfully] forewarned of two of them from a genealogy list I was on. Like everyone else however, I've also seen so many old virus warnings that I also get disgruntled when they're put out again and again. If you are alerted to a virus warning - BEFORE you send a message to this list please check it out first to make sure it isn't a hoax. You can do so by going to <http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html> and doing a search for the particular virus you are concerned about. Once you've ascertained you're not dealing with a hoax -- please use the CHAT: format to tell everyone." I know I'm a chatty person and talk too much, however those guidelines are based from years of experience on the lists and will only help all of us enjoy this coming-together. Please, at least scan them to see what's what on list now. If you've already deleted them before reading, please let me know and I'll email you another set. I hope you're all having a SUPER Sunday! :) Colleen