Dec 8-14 1998
From merope@Radix.Net Tue Dec 8 10:02:31 1998
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 10:02:30 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
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You can't get there from here...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* powered by pure editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Sunday 6 December 1998:
As noted yere yesterday, the Board received its weekly election report.
It indicates that a call has gone out to the SCs to find a liaison in each
state to help with voter lists. These lists need to be verified for
accuracy and then sent to the proper subcommittee. It also provides the
address for posting nominations (
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhardi2/nomi.htm) and notes that nominations
will be accepted until Dec 31. Next report will be Dec 12.
Karen Isaacson indicates that a link from the Rootsweb main page directly
to the USGW main page has been added. The (not)NC notes that it is the
'purtiest [sic] thing you ever did see." [see, the Board can TOO
accomplish stuff!]
In other news: Kathy Heidel is a candidate for Sw/SC representative. Tim
Stowell is a candidate for NC. [see:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhardi2/nomi.htm] Candidate pages do not appear
to be available for any of the candidates at this time.
"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be
patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."
--- Winnie the Pooh
This has been your Daily Board Show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net
From merope@Radix.Net Wed Dec 9 09:57:50 1998
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 09:57:48 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981209090328.1324A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
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Gravity is a harsh mistress...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Monday 7 December 1998:
No Board-L activity on this date.
This -n- That: The Archives list is still all aflutter over the mutiny by
the census project, and now apparently the 'pirate' directory the census
project uses is shortly going to be deleted at the direction of the
Archives coordinator. Over on the state coordinator list they are talking
a little bit about the GC/RW situation in which a query board was taken
away from a CC. The SC involved says she doesn't want any outside
intervention and the CC involved is giving up the county. Two separate
query boards are still being maintained, one GC/RW which is up for
adoption and a separate one being run by the CC. One SC posted an
interesting correspondence from a researcher complaining about
preferential treatment shown to some queries. Its seems that a CC had
previously created a surname index for queries and later switched to the
GC/RW system and the researcher felt that the indexed queries were given
preferential treatment and that all queries should be treated in this way.
An interesting perspective from one our 'customers'! Of course,
discussion here on USGW-ALL is consumed with exposing people's personal
lives and slinging around accusations of mental instability. Sounds
familiar, doesn't it?
"I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who would appear to be either
card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party..."
---Senator Joseph McCarthy, 1950
This has been your Daily Board Show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net
From merope@Radix.Net Thu Dec 10 08:37:35 1998
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 08:37:33 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981210075532.50A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
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Blessed are the cheesemakers...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Tuesday 8 Dec 1998
The following is posted to Board-L from the (not)NC from Deb Wafford, CC
rep for the NW/P region:
"I have been seriously evaluating my priorities and have come to
some difficult decisions. I've recently accepted a promotion at
work that involves increased responsibilities and more travel. My
first loyalty is to my county pages and a couple of personal
projects I'm involved in. There is not enough time to do everything.
Please accept this as my resignation from the board.
Good luck to all of you.
Debbie Wafford"
[Looks like Linda won the bet.]
Two board members and the (not)NC post notices asking Deb to reconsider
her decision [well, now that that formality is over with, lets get on with
it, shall we?]
In Other News: Yet another mailing list has been formed -USGWARCH-CEN-L-
"For file managers and others to discuss the USGenWeb Archives Census
Project" (RW Review, Dec 9). Would this be the list for the New and
Improved Census Project, or for the Old and Just Fine the Way It Is Census
Project? Who has split from who?
This has been your Daily Board Show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net
From merope@Radix.Net Fri Dec 11 08:43:59 1998
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 08:43:58 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show (11 Dec 98)
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981211072453.4459B-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Dangerous when wet...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Wednesday 9 December 1998:
A Board member posts a new motion regarding forwarding to the archives
file managers the letter received from a software company that wants to
arrange to have newspaper obits forwarded to the Archives Project. The
motion is numbered 98-10 [full text, including original letter below].
The (not)NC calls for a second and the motion is seconded. The discussion
period is open until midnight 11 Dec 1998. One board member suggests a
small change in wording from "Any agreements shall be subject to approval
by The USGenWeb Advisory Board" to "Any agreements shall be subject to
prior approval by The USGenWeb Advisory Board". The (not)NC tells her to
make a motion to amend.
In other news: The Secret List--Secret No More! As posted here
yesterday, you can see what the Board is REALLY up to behind the decorous
proceedings on BOARD-L. http://www.radix.net/~merope/
Soul Searching Corner-- I have to admit that reading the activity on
BOARD-EXEC was very painful for me. I talk privately or in chat sometimes
with several Board members, all of whom I respect and some of whom,
despite our public differences, I've come to like and trust. Each of
these people have told me privately and publicly either that there is no
secret list or that it was only used for the temporary NC election, and I
was beginning to believe them. I've asked them privately if there is
discussion on issues and motions and they've told me that what we see on
Board-L is all there is, and I was beginning to believe them. Silly
me.
The BOARD-EXEC material reveals a Board that is not above conspiring
secretly to shut down or marginalize a mailing list where both critics and
supporters voice their opinions and carry on lively debate. It reveals
a Board that will "quietly remove" a mention of this mailling list from a
web page, even though the last time an amendment to that same section of
the webpage was made it followed a proper motion and a vote by the board
membership. It reveals a group of people who would consider tampering
with an election because they don't like one of the candidates. It reveals
a Board that is capable of making a nearly unanimous 'feel-good' decison
to open their meetings to their constituency and then just move the
meeting somewhere else. Most of all it reveals a Board that speaks
publically and sometimes even among themselves about bottoms-up management
of the USGW project, but which works in secret to silence critics and to
manipulate the information made available to the USGW project membership.
It seemed to me yesterday that there is little further use for the Daily
Board Show. I enjoy writing it and hope it keeps folks a little informed,
but it is now obvious that the real show is somewhere else. And so I had
decided that today would be the last one. Last night, however, I got a
private email from someone unknown to me who said that although he agreed
with nothing I said, the DBS is the best thing on the -ALL list and he
reads it every day. I've received enough private mail over the last month
or so to know that the DBS has a small silent constituency. So I have
decided it will continue indefinitely. However, given the active and
ongoing attempt to kill this list, I am going to widen the propagation of
the DBS in the following ways:
1) a mail list: if you are interested in receiving the DBS in email,
please send me your address privately. If I get enough subscriptions to
warrant it, I will open a listserve. If not, I'll just do a mass mailing
each day. If you don't want me to know who you are <g> you hve the
following options:
2) a web page: the DBS will be webbed, most likely at the same site as
the BOARD-EXEC material. I will register this page with all the major
search engines and let you all know when it is up. I've finished my
Christmas shopping so I have time to work on its weekend.
3) the state lists: I really must thank our intrepid moderator for this
idea; I would _never_ have thought of taking this to the state lists. I
hereby give permission (although none is needed) to forward the DBS to
all relevant USGW state mailing lists. Please DO NOT forward this to
other mailing lists, and out of consideration to those who may not be
interested in politics, please preface the posts with something indicating
it is about politics so they know not read it. If you are uncomfortable
with sending the DBS to your state list, please consider putting the url
(http://www.radix.net/~merope/) in your sig file or posting it
periodically to your state list.
4) the newsgroups: today marks the inaugural edition of the Daily Board
Show on selected genealogy newsgroups. Watch for it on a newsreader near
you!
"One should play fairly when one has the winning cards.
---Oscar Wilde
This has been your Daily Board Show
From merope@Radix.Net Fri Dec 11 08:55:35 1998
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 08:55:34 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show (9 Dec 98), part 2
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Oops...hit send and then realized I hadn't included this:
This is the full text of Motion 98-10:
I MOVE that the attached letter from Toby White-Beebe of System
Integrators
Inc. be forwarded to The USGenWeb Archives Project. The Archives Project
shall be authorized to establish a dialog with the said company for the
purposes of determining what value would exist from a possible agreement
with the said company. Any agreements shall be subject to approval by The
USGenWeb Advisory Board. The Board representative from the Archives
project
shall from time to time provide updates to the Board on the progress of
any
discussions.
30 November 1998
U.S.GenWeb Project
Interim National Coordinator
Mr. Bob Bamford
Dear Sir,
I am writing you on behalf of a Company that I work in an attempt to
establish communication and get the initial "ball rolling". Though I do
not
have authority to speak for the Company, I have talked to the CEO of the
Company and he is very interested in hearing more on what I have proposed.
The Corporation, System Integrators, Inc., has been in business for 25
years
now and has been a top level producer of Publishing Software for the
International Magazine and Newspaper publishing industries. In its early
years, System Integrators, Inc. produced terminals and connective software
to Mainframe Computers. More recently, as the personal computers became
more prevalent, System Integrators, Inc. provided emulation boards to
connect PC's to the Tandem Mainframes. Ever changing with today's
technologies, System Integrators, Inc. continues to lead the marketplace
in
software and it's connectivity to mainframes.
What I had proposed to my CEO, Mr. Frank Washington, was to find out
whether
we, as the software writers, had the ability to turn on some type of
switch
that would allow our customers to be able to "forward" their daily
obituaries to your project's archives ? We already produce the software
that our customers use to create their obituary columns, why can't we keep
all future typing to a minimum ? I know that the volunteers that are
typing
past documents are extremely overworked and if there is a way to "keep up"
with today, why not ? My continued thoughts would be that on a daily or
weekly basis, our customers could compile their data, push their button
and
forward the data on to a central receiving point designated by GenWeb for
final archiving ?
Right now, the thoughts are rough, the intent and benefits are long
lasting.
I would continue to assume, that as the individual transcribers receive
"posting" credits for their work, so could the "donating" newspaper or
agency receive the same byline(s) ? System Integrators, Inc. would only
be
receiving compensatory compensation from it's customers for the added
feature(s) provided by this ability vs. sharing a byline by donation.
My question(s) to you are;
1. In what form would the U.S.GenWeb Project prefer to receive the daily
or
weekly information ? After researching the Idaho records this morning on
the FTP site, even the Census has been transcribed into ASCII text ?
2. Presuming that down the road, that "this" project were in test phases,
would it be better to FTP the information to a receiving site for further
processing ? or directly into it's final resting grounds ?
3. We also provide a format for the industry using Adobe's PDF ( Portable
Document Format ) which carries all of the pictures, text and fonts as a
single document. It is fully searchable and can be modified, if so need
be.
Would this be a better option ?
I am quite sure that there are many more details to work out before we can
get this project going ? I will be stepping out of the picture as things
progress, as relaying information between sources has a tendency to fall
apart if not monitored properly and this is not part of the scope for the
department I do work in. I hope that my insight into the needs of GenWeb
and my insight into my Company's abilities can work out a mutually
beneficial partnership.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Toby White-Beebe
Network/System Specialist
SYSTEM INTEGRATORS, INC.
1300 National Drive
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 929-9481 ext. 3432
Business Email ; whitebeebe@sii.com
Business Website ; http://www.sii.com
Personal Email ; twbeebe@2xtreme.net
Cc: Julia M Case, Editor RootsWeb Review
-Teresa
merope@radix.net
From merope@Radix.Net Sat Dec 12 12:28:40 1998
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 12:28:39 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981212114601.6111A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
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I'll get you, my pretty...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* editorial content contained herein, to read any further would be
a sin. Read at your own risk!
Thursday 10 December 1998:
On Motion 98-10: A Board member has motioned to amend this motion
slightly as reported her yesterday and the (not)NC has called for a
second. The amended motion is numbered 98-10-1.
On Motion 98-11: Deb Wafford, outgoing NW/P representative has indicated
she will not reconsider her decision to resign. The (not)NC indicates he
will accept a motion to accept her resignation. A motion is made and
seconded and numbered 98-11. The discussion period is opened andthe
question is called. The (not)NC calls for second on that and it is
seconded. He then calls for a simultaneous vote on the motion to call
the question and the motion to accept Deb Wafford's resignation. Both
passed: the motion to call the question with 1 present and 12 ayes (i
person did not vote; teh motion to accept teh resignation passed with i
present and 13 ayes. [Bye Deb, we'll miss you!] Two Board members post
messages wishing Deb well.
A Board member posts a message she received from our own Roger Swafford
regarding his ideas for managing this list. In brief, he states that he
had suggested some rules for the list and received a dozen or so negative
replies with teh vast number of subscribers remaining silent, which he
attributes to apathy. So he has boiled down his suggestions to a few (9
actually) "all-encompassing rules", all from RRoO and suggest the Board
take action to bring the list under these rules. It is his opinion that
the bylaws give teh Board this authority and further suggests that
mail-list conduct be a basis for determining qualification for office
since archives could be checked to see if candidates had followed the
rules. He even suggests punishments. [Let's see if I have this right:
Rog floated this by the list and all the people who cared enough to
respond said 'no thanks'. So Rog is now asking teh Board to step in and
impose these rules on the list. Interesting.]
The full letter is posted below.
In other news: I am sad to report that our patient and long-suffering
moderator, George Waller, is stepping down. He has called for nominees to
be list moderator. Nominations will be accepted until Dec 15.
In happier news, Ron Eason and Sue Soden are now Asst. National
Coordinators for the national Census Archives Project. Congrats all
around!
Nominations are being accepted for the replacement NW/P Region CC
representative. If you have not already you should be receiving
nomination information onyour state list.
This has been your Daily Board Show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net
The USGW Advisory Board--EXPOSED! http://www.radix.net/~merope/
+++++++++++++
full text of Roger Swafford's mail to a Board rep, as posted to Board-l:
A few weeks ago I suggested adopting some rules for the list. George was
not against but simply said try and get a consensus. Well there were only
about a dozen or so persons that replied in the negative, the overwhelming
majority of the subscribers remained silent indicating, IMO, the biggest
problem with the project.....apathy. Since then I've sat back and waited
for the next flap-ex and boiled down my suggestions to only a few all
encompassing rules;
Subscribers shall-
1 Not have to suffer personal abuse and attack
2 Treat everyone with courtesy
3 Make a point concisely
4 Attack issues, not people
5 Work to create dignity and decorum
6 Work with others in a cooperative fashion
7 Respect the rights of others
8 Promote the organizations growth and influence
9 Enhance the organizations reputation
These are all taken from RRoO as rights and/or responsibilities of members
of organizations. I suggest the board take action to bring the list(s)
under these rules. You have the authority already, the bylaws state the
"project" is to be governed by PP.
This would also bring a members conduct on mail lists into consideration
for determining his/her qualifications for office by providing a basis for
checking the archives of mail-lists such as -all to determine if the
member follows the rules.
Penalties may range from...
Apology - public apology
Reprimand- moderator reprimands the member for inappropriate posts
Suspension- moderator unsubs the member for a period of time and announces
action
Censure- a public announcement of censure and longer suspension
Grievance- moderator files a grievance against the member when other
actions have failed
Respectfully;
Roger Swafford
CC Childress Co. TX
From merope@Radix.Net Sun Dec 13 13:01:44 1998
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 13:01:43 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981213124645.8445A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
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All together now!....its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* lotsa editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Friday 11 December 1998:
The (not)NC requests the Election Committee Chair to add the
Northwest/Plains CC representative position to the ballot for the upcoming
election.
In other news: Holly Timm, Southeast/Mid-Atlantic CC representative has
resigned her position. A quick peak at tomorrow's news reveals that the
Board has motioned, seconded and begun to vote on her resignation [boy,
they are getting REALLY GOOD at this]; more on that tomorrow. [We wish
you lots of cuddles and squooshy hugs, Holly.]
"Persecution is the first law of society because it is always easier to
suppress criticism than to meet it."
---Howard Mumford Jones, 1949
This has been your Daily Board Show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net
From merope@Radix.Net Mon Dec 14 13:07:16 1998
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 13:07:14 -0500 (EST)
From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>
To: USGENWEB-ALL <usgenweb-all-l@rootsweb.com>
Subject: Daily Board Show
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.981214113027.2583A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Status: RO
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What do you want from life?...its Your Daily Board Show!
*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!
Saturday 12 December 1998:
Resignation of Holly Timm: It is moved to accept Holly's resignation and
further moved that the Board not fill her vacancy until the election and
that they notify those who ran for the position previously so they can run
again if they so desire. The motion is seconded and given number 98-12
and the floor is open for debate. There is a motion made to call the
question, which is seconded. One Board member states that she feels that
since a SW/SC rep was appointed reps should be appointed for the SE/MA and
NW/P regions as well. Another Board members notes surprise that there was
no discussion of the second part of the motion (about not appointing
replacements) and the (not)NC points out that since the question has been
called the motion must proceed to a vote. He does give the person who
moved to call the question time to withdraw it and permits discussion to
proceed without direction from the chair if it is withdrawn.
Motion 98-10: The amendment to this motion (98-10-1) fails for lack of a
second. The vote is called. thus far, there are 7 aye votes, 1 present,
and 1 nay. A couple of Board members are moved to append comments to
their aye votes (such as "to protect the project") to explain why they
are voting to extend Board control over the business of one of the Special
Projects. [N.B., ladies and gentlemen, we have here a precedent being
set and the not-so-subtle implication that the Board doesn't trust the
Archives to "protect the project"].
In other news: The Learning Company has acquired the domain
www.genealogy.com, according to Dick Eastman's newsletter. The company
is definitely moving aggressively into the genealogy area. Who will be
next?
For those of you interested in taking over George's moderator hat, read
his message really closely, especially this part:
"People can nominate themselves (or accept a nomination) up to 15 Dec 1998
12:59 PM EST."
Not to be picky about time, but this is circa 1 pm tomorrow afternoon,
EST. Just wanted to point out to those of us who are interested in this
burden, er, position need to let George know by then.
"I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts."
---Will Rogers
This has been your Daily Board show.
-Teresa Lindquist
merope@radix.net