Dec 6-12 1999

From merope@Radix.Net Mon Dec 6 12:37:47 1999

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 12:37:46 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

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Reach out and touch someone...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Saturday 4 December 1999:

One more Board member votes yes, one board member abstains, and one board

member changes their vote from "yes" to "abstain" on Motion 99-28.

Following are some comments from these Board members:

"I'd like to change my vote to ABSTAIN. I would like to see Megan stay on

the SC list if she'd like to, but do agree that this should be initiated

by the SCs." [Shari Handley]

"I vote yes in this matter. Megan has been and will continue to be an

instrumental part of USGenWeb." [Pam Reid]

Hagiography Corner: As expected, a very large majority of those who have

responded are in favor of having St. Megan remain on the SC list

indefinitely. One respondent so far has noted that "It would set a bad

precedent to have people signed up for the state coordinator list who are

not state coordinators", and another noted "If we need her wisdom and

opinions, we could always reach her by private email" [in the process of

saying she had no objection to inviting Megan to remain on the list]. Some

of the respondents who are in favor of granting lifetime list privileges

to St. Megan have come up with some _really_ interesting suggestions, for

example:

"We need to have some type of a provision for keeping past leaders as part

of the board and involved...Perhaps a position of "Group of past leaders"

should be formed by each state as a formal part of the board as an

advisory group to the current board. This would keep those individuals

that wish to remain involved on the state level a part where they at least

could pass on their experience when issues came up. I think this would be

a good thing to start now with Megan."

[We note that The Board didn't think to ask the current SCs' advice on

this motion prior to proposing and voting on it; what makes one think

they'd ask a group of "retired" SCs for advice is beyond me. And what an

interesting group that would be--Bill Couch, Billie McNamara, Linda Lewis,

Lynn Waterman, Joan Brausch, Bridget Smith, Nancy Trice, etc.]

Another SC notes in response to this suggestion that at least one group

she's involved in allows the immediate past president to remain on the

board for one year, in a voting position. [This would, of course, require

an amendment of the bylaws.]

"No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up."

---Lily Tomlin

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

--------

From merope@Radix.Net Tue Dec 7 15:04:30 1999

Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 15:04:25 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991207060823.5424A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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Resistance is futile...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Sunday 5 December 1999:

There is no Board-L traffic on this date.

Pigs On The Wing Corner: The SC list, on the other hand, is humming. More

statements in favor of granting St. Megan permanent list privileges, have

been posted, with one of the more interesting being this one:

"Even if Megan feels she's outlived her usefulness for us, we still need

someone who is willing to stand firm on the principles this organization

was founded on. The several times I've come to her with questions, I've

received anything but sound and firm advice." [Say what?!]

Two SCs have spoken out more or less opposed to the idea, with one feeling

that if her state didn't want Megan as an SC anymore it was not

appropriate to allow her to continue on the SC list and the other noting

that the ongoing "straw poll" is little more than "either a Ms Piglet

popularity contest or a litmus test to determine just who are the true and

faithfully to the Borg." [For those of you not familiar with the "new"

Star Trek, the Borg are a race of half-human, half-machine beings who have

given up individual will in favor of a single group mind. They go about

the galaxy forcing this same state of affairs on all other inferior

species, which they call "assimilating".] A couple of SCs correct the

mistaken impression that Megan was voted out of office by her CCs and some

note that they don't feel their support is indicative of blind allegiance

or due solely to Megan's popularity. Some are saddened that fellow-SCs

could think so poorly of their comrades. There's been much sniping back

and forth ever since, mostly of the "nyah,nyah" type. Its interesting

what riles up the SCs these days. Project members prominently begging for

cash on their project web pages didn't get this kind of impassioned

response.

Interestingly silent during all this is St. Megan herself. And, as is

usual during these occasional popularity contests, a large majority of SCs

are also silent, apparently having no opinion on the matter, prefering to

ignore such trivial issues, or being afraid to speak their opinions.

According to listowner Tim Stowell, 23 SCs and 7 ASCs from 25 states have

responded thus far, with 28 being in favor and 2 being opposed.

The Few, The Proud Corner: SC listowner Tim Stowell has graciously

provided a list of who is currently allowed to sub to the SCs' list:

"there are 100 subscribed addresses to this list including - 93 in mail

mode, 7 in digest mode. Some folks seem to be subbed twice under similar

addresses. These include as best I can tell - SCs, ASC or equivalent,

Board members who are not covered by the first two categories, Board

Secretary, Special Projects personnel not covered by any previous category

and 2 Rootsweb folk (a techie and an admin)."

[So they aren't all _that_ picky about who they let in. <g>]

"I do not care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as

members."

---Groucho Marx

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

--------

From merope@Radix.Net Wed Dec 8 08:58:02 1999

Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 08:58:00 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991208060540.20066A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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MPL, we hardly knew ye...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Monday 6 December 1999:

The NC posts a message from USGW user Russell Wrenn regarding the national

webpages. The user says, "I've been using the "heck" out of the Rootsweb

and USGenWeb Project's websites in an effort to trace my family tree...one

thing that I find every page has in common is that I'm yet to find anyone

using Javascript and CSS Styles to improve the functionality or the

appearance of their pages." He notes that he has visited the project's

"HTML Help" page and found it to be woefully outdated,and says "it's no

wonder the newbies who by and large coordinate your various counties don't

use the more modern technologies to more easily accomplish their goals."

He also noticed that Celia Snyder is apparently still listed as the

webmaster on several of the pages, but says he'd be surprised if she'd

atually made any updates in a while. He provides a rundown of his own

impressive credentials as a "Web Professional" and indicates that

"nonetheless, I'd like to volunteer to take over the maintenance of your

HTML HelpSite".

Tomorrow's News Today: Some Board members discuss Mr. Wrenn's proposal,

mostly negatively [we ain't interested in yer fancy new gadgets, mister];

the DCGW DC resigns as of Jan 1 and the Board discusses how to replace

her, since there are no CCs to hold an election.

This Pig Won't Fly: Late last night, NC Tim Stowell announced the results

of the voting on Motion 99-28: "5 - yes, 4 - no, 5 - abstain; 1 - not

voting; 1 - whereabouts unknown. Since the motion did not receive a 2/3

majority of those voting in the affirmative - the motion fails." [Sniping

and general nastiness over this motion continues apace on the SC list;

must be all the excess Christmas spirit floating around.]

Blast From the Past Corner: One year ago today the Board, under the

direction of Bob "Having Fun Yet?" Bamford, clandestinely removed all

mention of the USGENWEB-ALL list from the project's national web pages,

lest innocent CCs wander in and find out what really goes on in the USGW

Project. On Dec 7, 1998, on the Board's secret list, Bob noted as a

"solution" to the problem of too much free speech on the -ALL list, that

"All mention of the -ALL list is removed from the national pages eff. 12/8

(don't want to use 12/7 because of it's potential for historic

reference.)...This is almost universal. I will proceed with this." Bob

made it so on December 8, 1998.

[If you are interested in knowing more about what the Board discusses when

it thinks no one is looking, please visit the Radio Free USGenWeb pages at

http://www.radix.net/~merope/]

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

---John Lennon, 10/9/40-12/8/80

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

------------

From merope@Radix.Net Thu Dec 9 06:16:46 1999

Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 06:16:45 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: News Flash!

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991209060755.26138A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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Daily Board Show News Flahs!

This Just In...We have just received word that Board member Teri Pettit

has made three motions:

1) In the interests of helping new volunteers know what venues are

available for discussing matters of common interest, I move

that subscription directions for the USGenWeb-ALL@rootsweb.com

discussion list be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists

page currently located at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to this list is voluntary.

2) In the interests of helping new volunteers know what venues are

available for discussing matters of common interest, I move that

subscription directions for the following two discussion lists

USGW-CC-L@usgennet.org

USGW-ALL@listbot.com (aka The Daily Board Show)

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently

located at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to either of these

lists is voluntary.

3) In the interests of helping new volunteers know what venues are

available for discussing matters of common interest, I move that

subscription directions for the USGenWeb regional discussion lists

USGenWeb-NE-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-SE-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-NW-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-SW-L@rootsweb.com

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently

located at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to these lists is

voluntary, and that they are low-volume lists maintained by the

USGenWeb Advisory Board representatives for each region.

Motions #1 (Motion 99-29) and #3 (Motion 99-30) have been seconded and the

NC has opened the floor for discussion on those motions.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

From merope@Radix.Net Thu Dec 9 08:20:05 1999

Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 08:20:03 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: News Flash

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991209081713.5751B-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Status: O

X-Status:

Daily Board Show News Flash!

This Just In... The motion to add the DBS list and the CC-L list has been

seconded. Almost immediately, Ginger Hayes moved to amend the motion as

follows:

To strike the USGW-CC-L@usgennet.org list from this

motion and to make this motion only include

USGW_ALL@listbot.com (aka The Daily Board Show)

This will, of course, allow them to vote on the two lists separately.

More news as it develops!

-Teresa

merope@radix.net

From merope@Radix.Net Thu Dec 9 09:30:46 1999

Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 09:30:44 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991209061845.26138C-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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Status: RO

X-Status:

When hell freezes over...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Tuesday 7 December 1999:

In reference to the offer from Mr. Wrenn to help "modernize" the HTML Help

page on the national web site:

Holly Fee Timm notes that "Javascript and CSS are more and more accessible

to our users but there are still many out there that can [sic] use them

and I am leery of someone pushing them on the CC's." She says she doesn't

object to improving the pages but thinks accessibility "needs to be a

major issue." She also notes that she doesn't think that Mr. Wrenn has

ever interacted with project volunteers "whose grasp of html is basic and

comes with difficulty."

Joy Fisher notes that many school systems don't routinely upgrade their

computer facilities due to limited resources, and says, "When we get too

fancy for the average user, we lose them." She also points out that she

visits many websites during the holiday season and many of them have

javascript errors.

Joe Zsedney agrees with Holly and states, "This project is about

genealogy. If we get on an improvement kick lets attack it from the

genealogy angle and not from the bells and whistles department. Many of

the folks doing genealogy are retired, view the computer as a tool and are

unimpressed with anything more elaborate than plain text to pursue it".

He thinks it is OK for CCs to dress up their pages but suggests they keep

a plain text alternative for those who prefer no "bells and whistles". He

also asks Pam to take a look at the Help pages and share her thoughts on

needed improvements.

On DCGenWeb:

Shari Handley informs the Board that DCGenWeb DC Rose Guerin will be

resigning on January 1. She recommends that her successor be Deb Remer,

who manages the DC mailing list and contributes data to the project.

Shari asks, "How do we proceed? Since there are no counties involved,

there can't be an election in this case. I guess we could also look at

it this way - Rose *is* the only DCGenWeb coordinator, and if she voted

for someone, they'd win, 1 to zip." she also asks if she should contact

Deb and find out if she's interested.

Holly Fee Timm doesn't see any need for the Board to get involved at all,

stating "I can only see our involvement in this if Rose couldn't find

someone. Rose can ask if Deb wants to do it and if she does, that's all

there is to it. I suppose technically, Rose is currently the CC and SC of

DC, so Rose (as CC) can *technically* vote for Deb as SC and then step

aside as a CC with Deb taking over."

Teri Pettit notes, "DC isn't a state, so the whole issue of elections

doesn't come up. Organizationally, it is the "nation's county", so to

speak. So, I would expect that the AB or NC assumes a role similar to that

of state coordinators when a CC resigns - DC goes up for adoption." She

suggests that if Deb doesn't want the job to ask her if she would announce

its availability on her mailing list and notes that the process of

selecting a new CC isn't generally a long process. She also suggests that

it "Might be good to ask Rose if she'd do this for whoever wants the job,

as a formality. There are always people who will insist that DCGenWeb

should be considered a "state project" under the By-Laws, even though it

isn't a state." [Actually, its neither a state nor a county, so its not

covered under the bylaws. The Board could always follow Congress' model

for managing the District. Which is essentially "let the District do

what it wants until it does something that displeases us, then show

'em who's _really_ the boss." <g>]

Ginger Hayes says that she doesn't think the Board needs to be involved

unless Rose can't find a successor.

Motion 99-28:

The NC declares the motion failed for failing to reach the required 2/3

majority of affirmative votes. Final count: 5 yes votes, 4 no votes, 5

abstentions, and 2 members not voting.

Happy Anniversary Corner: On the anniversary of its banishment from the

USGW national pages, Terri Pettit has moved to once again list the

USGENWEB-ALL list on the mailing list pages. Also of note, she has

motioned separately to also include the four regional lists, the USGW-CC-L

list and [ta da!] the Daily Board Show list [the USGW_ALL list]. [We

don't mind revealing that the newscube staff wept openly upon receiving

news of this. We are deeply touched.]

Maps and Legends Corner: According to an announcement on the SCs' mailing

list yesterday, "The United States Digital Map Library, a project of the

USGenWeb Archives, is now under the coordination of Kelly Mullins and Mary

Ann Hetrick." The coordinatorship of the Map project was recently vacated

by Fred Smoot.

Better Than Thou Corner: In light of the offer by "web professional"

Russell Wrenn to help out with the HTML Help pages on the web site [and

citing the DBS!] Jen Godwin has posted a number of suggestions on how to

improve the "Information For Volunteers" national web page to the -ALL

list. Among her suggestions are: 1) an updated list of state guidelines

pages; 2) an updated list of sites offering free webpages; and 3) a FAQ.

She also notes, "I KNOW I'm going to take heat for this, but I'd love to

see CCs vetted for their ability to use HTML and/or webpage editing

software." She thinks its "awfully important" that CCs be able to create

"quality webpage" and thinks "attractive and functional websites are

key to being the USGen*WEB* project. If nothing else, in the face of

increased competition from ALHN and local genealogy societies, county GW

sites have to look good and present helpful information as clearly as

possible, or we're going to get skvished like leetle bugs. [sic]" She

does note that "love of genealogy and a committment to good research

practices and an affection for the project" are of prime importance.

[Personally, I think the idea of "vetting" volunteers for their ability to

make webpages that satisfy some arbitrary aesthetic value is insulting.

Plus it would require a bylaws amendment. But there you go.]

"In a democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its

value is not in its taste, but its effects."

---J. William Fulbright

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

----------

From merope@Radix.Net Fri Dec 10 08:20:49 1999

Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1999 08:20:48 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991210071344.2979A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Status: O

X-Status:

You better not cry, you better not pout...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Wednesday 8 December 1999:

Teri Pettit moves that "subscription directions for the

USGenWeb-ALL@rootsweb.com discussion list be added to the Info for

Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently located at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html along with the information

that subscription to this list is voluntary." She also suggests asking

Pam Reid to "link to the archives for that list, if available, a link to a

copy of the list's "Welcome message", if the list owner agrees, and an

approximate count of the number of volunteers subscribed and the average

monthly list traffic", but notes that this is not part of the motion, just

a suggestion to help CCs decide which list they want to subscribe to. Joy

Fisher seconds this motion.

Teri Pettit moves that, "subscription directions for the following two

discussion lists

USGW-CC-L@usgennet.org

USGW-ALL@listbot.com (aka The Daily Board Show)

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently

located at: http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to either of these lists is

voluntary." [Teri later amends this motion to correct the DBS address to

USGW_ALL@listbot.com]

Teri Pettit moves that "subscription directions for the USGenWeb regional

discussion lists

USGenWeb-NE-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-SE-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-NW-L@rootsweb.com

USGenWeb-SW-L@rootsweb.com

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently located

at: http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to these lists is voluntary,

and that they are low-volume lists maintained by the USGenWeb Advisory

Board representatives for each region." This motion is seconded by Tina

Vickery.

Tomorrow's News Today: Tim Stowell opens the floor for discussion on

Motion 99-29 [USGENWEB-ALL] and Motion 99-30 [regional lists]; the third

maillist motion is seconded and immediately amended to remove the

USGW-CC-L list from the motion; the amendment is seconded; Teri agrees to

allow the motion to be amended and to submit a fourth amendment to add the

USGW-CC-L list to the webpage; the NC opens discussion on the amendment to

Motion 99-31 [DBS list].

New Faces Corner: It has been announced that Tim Kirkham is the new

coordinator for the Tombstone Project.

Out In The Cold Corner: A reader writes in on the topic of using fancy

gizmos, particularly java, on web pages: "I can tell you that webtv is NOT

Java capable, a real problem, and if they switch over to Java, it will cut

out all the webtv users to the pages... The problem according to webtv is

that Java is a product of a competitor of Microsoft, which owns Webtv, and

they refuse to accomodate that Javascript for some reason. The biggest

problem with this so far is that while we can visit the LDS FamilySearch

site, we cannot get results of any searches done there as they are in

Java. The LDS are trying to accomodate our problem, with no help from

Microsoft, but I was told it will take many dollars and hours of work, and

won't be available til mid-2000. So if the USGW switches to Java, are they

going to accomodate all the webtv users somehow, or just deny us access?"

"Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen."

---Warren E. Burger [Majority opinion in 7-1 ruling that prohibited

the closing of courtrooms to the press, 2 Jul 1980.]

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

------------

From merope@Radix.Net Sat Dec 11 07:41:25 1999

Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1999 07:41:23 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991211062446.29174A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Status: O

X-Status:

When the bullet hits the bone...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Thursday 9 December 1999:

The NC opens the floor for discussion on Motion 99-29 [to add the

USGENWEB-ALL list to the "Information for Volunteers" national page].

The NC opens the floor for discussion on Motion 99-30 [to add the four

regional lists to the "Information for Volunteers" national page].

The motion to add the USGW_ALL [DBS] and USGW-CC-L lists to the

"Information for Volunteers" national pages is seconded by Virginia

Cisewski.

Ginger Hayes moves "to amend this motion as follows: To strike the

USGW-CC-L@usgennet.org list from this motion and to make this motion only

include USGW_ALL@listbot.com (aka The Daily Board Show)." This motion to

amend is seconded by Rich Howland. Tim Stowell gives the motion number

99-31 and opens the floor for discussion of the amendment.

Teri Pettit posts that she would be happy to accept the amendment and to

submit a fourth motion to include the USGW-CC-L list. She notes, "I

guess I just assumed that most board members would vote the same way on

one of those two as they voted on the other (the category they share being

"non-Rootsweb-hosted lists".) If that assumption was wrong, by all means

separate them." She also hopes that the four regional lists do not need

to be split into separate amendments.

Tomorrow's News Today: Tim opens the floor for discussion on the amended

Motion 99-31; Teri submits more motions to include DISCUSS-L and USGW-CC-L

Exclusionary Practices Corner: Ginger Hayes, in a message to her fellow

Board members explains her reasons behind her amendment to Motion 99-31.

She states, "I believe USGWCC-L should not even be considered because it

is exclusionary. The list is not open to all project members." She

further says that the list was apparently created as a "forum for those

who enjoy bashing the project and RW" and claims that people with

divergent views from the listowner are "banned". She notes "I'm sure

the first thing to come up is that there are folks that have been banned

from other project lists, but that banning was done by the server and not

by members, or the board, of the USGW Project. I personally have never

supported that ban, but we have no control over that."

Ginger seems to be laboring under some misconceptions about the CC-L list.

The list was created solely for CCs of the USGW project and within that

boundary is inclusive. This was clearly stated in the invitation to join.

List rules were also clearly stated in the welcome letter and so far as

this author knows have been evenly applied regardless of which "camp"

posters appear to be in [this author has received warnings when postings

have gone "over the line"]. Ginger fails to mention that she was herself

removed from the CC-L list for not following the list rules and after

warning from the listowner. It is also not the case that removals from

the USGENWEB-ALL list were not done by project members. During her most

recent tenure as Queen of the List, Linda Lewis publicly unsubbed at least

three people: Don Tharp, Bryan Leven, and Barbara "Rootslady" Dore, for

failing to follow clearly published list rules and after warning from the

listowner. She also unsubbed someone with an ancestry.com address for not

being a project member [although why someone who works for Ancestry could

not also be a project member is not clear to me].

Ginger goes on to say, "While I also do not support the DBS, distributed

by means of USGW_ALL@listbot.com, it is open to all project members,

to the best of my knowledge." She wonders why the Board would even

consider adding the DBS list, since "it is merely one CC's forum for

amusing herself at the expense of others and her own public avenue for the

RW bashing she seems to take such delight in." However, since it is

"inclusive" [ie, she hasn't been kicked off it yet <g>] she feels it is

a more legitimate candidate for inclusion. [Actually, a substantial amount

of information in the DBS comes from readers, many of whom feel they have

no other forum in which to speak or who, given the climate in USGW, are

afraid to speak. We take no joy in discussing Root$web and will cease to

do so when Root$web ceases to be such an overwhelming presence in the

Project. Ginger is correct in stating that the DBS is open to all project

members. It is, in fact, open to everyone and currently counts among its

readership USGW members, current and past Board members, Archives

members, WGW members, persons who wandered in from newsgroups or from

following links on USGW county pages, members of various other online

genealogy groups, and genealogists living on at least four continents.]

We here in the newscube are being asked our opinions on this unusual state

of affairs, and now that we have had a few days to recover from the shock,

we have to admit that we just don't know what to think. While we never

thought we'd live to see the day that the Board was actually _debating_

adding the DBS list as a resource to the national pages, we harbor no

illusions that this motion will actually pass. Inclusion of alternate

viewpoints is just too dangerous. While it would be nice if _all_ the

general discussion mailing lists for project members could be listed, we

do realize that progress sometimes moves slowly. Regardless of the

outcome, we are pleased to be considered as a candidate for inclusion [and

we promise that, if by some miracle we _are_ granted legitimacy by the

Board, we will not become insufferable].

"I get knocked down, but I get up again,

you ain't never gonna keep me down."

---Chumbawumba

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

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From merope@Radix.Net Sun Dec 12 09:43:32 1999

Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 09:43:31 -0500 (EST)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: Daily Board Show <usgw_all@listbot.com>

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.991212074907.336C-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Status: O

X-Status:

My mama warned me there'd be days like this...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Friday 10 December 1999:

Teri Pettit posts a message telling the Board that she has requested input

from members of the USGENWEB-DISCUSS list as to whether or not they want

the list to be included on the "Information for Volunteers" webpage. At

the time she had received only two responses, one from a member who said

she was only subbed to the -DISCUSS list and had "no intention of ever

resubscribing to the USGenWeb-ALL list", and one from one who said "let's

keep -ALL and dump -DISCUSS. I agree that -DISCUSS is repetitive." Teri

notes that "Two data points isn't a lot to go on. Is there anyone else who

has an opinion as to whether they want USGenWeb-DISCUSS-L to be listed on

the volunteers/mail.html page?"

Ginger Hayes posts her reasons for not thinking that the USGW-CC-L is a

"legitimate forum" for inclusion on the "Information for Volunteers" page.

[These were discussed in detail yesterday, and will not be repeated here.]

The NC notes that "Since Teri has offered to accept the modification of

99-31, if Virginia - her second will agree then I believe there's no

reason for further discussion of the amendment - the motion can be

modified and discussion can begin on the newly modified motion."

Teri Pettit posts the following motion:

"In the interests of helping new volunteers know what venues are available

for discussing matters of common interest, and in recognition that all

USGenWeb project members are equally deserving of full inclusion in the

USGenWeb family, I move that subscription directions for the discussion

list

USGW-CC-L@usgennet.org

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently located

at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to this list is voluntary and

open only to USGenWeb County Coordinators."

Teri Pettit posts the following motion:

"In the interests of helping new volunteers know what venues are available

for discussing matters of common interest, I move that subscription

directions for the discussion list

USGenWeb-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com

be added to the Info for Volunteers - Mailing Lists page currently located

at:

http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/mail.html

along with the information that subscription to this list is voluntary."

Tomorrow's News Today: Ed Book resigns as Board Secretary; Tim Stowell

nominates Ken "Pecos" Short for the Board Secretary position; Tim opens

discussion on the amended Motion 99-31 [DBS list]

All In The Family Corner: In his message nominating Ken Short for the

Board Secretary position, Tim notes only that Ken is the CC for three TX

counties but lists no other qualifications for the position. For those of

you unfamiliar with Ken, he's a long term project member, an avid fan of

both Root$web and the Archives [he's been described by one reader as

"following Maggie Z. [Zimmerman] around like a puppy"], an accomplished

barbecuer, in favor of "standards of conduct" for CCs as a condition of

participation in the project, and a regular on the #genealogy chat room on

Root$web. There is no evidence that he has any knowledge of parliamentary

procedure or familiarity with Roberts Rules of Order [presuming that is

the Board's parliamentary authority.]

Interesting Side Note Coner: According to RRoR, "A Main or Principal

Motion is a motion made to bring before the assembly, for its

consideration, any particular subject. It takes precedence of nothing --

that is, it cannot be made when any other question is before the assembly;

and it yields to all Privileged, Incidental, and Subsidiary Motions." The

Board currently has _five_ main motions on the floor [99-29, 99-30, 99-31

(amended), CC-L, -DISCUSS-L], and six if you count Tim's nomination for

the Board Secretary position.

"Principles aren't of much account anyway, except at election time. After

that you hang them up to let them season."

---Mark Twain (1835-1910)

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

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