<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I am one of the CELIAC listowners. In recent weeks we've had a number of posts that we generally try to avoid on this list, such as: -- Requests to sign off the list or to turn mail off or on. The members can't make these changes; only the listowners (whom you can reach at CELIAC-REQUEST@[log in to unmask]) can. -- Requests for local information on restaurants, doctors, etc. in a large city. Such requests can usually best be answered directly by support groups and celiac contacts in that city. These can be obtained via e-mail or the web from the list's reference files. (See http://rdz.acor.org/lists/celiac/index.html#support) -- Requests for information that has been previously posted. This can be found easily from the archives of all past posts. (See http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/celiac.html) -- Off-topic posts such as today's turkey/whiskey humor. It may seem petty to complain about such items, but they quickly add up if people start sending them in regularly. We run a "tight ship" on this list, which most subscribers seem to approve of. I know that some subscribers feel we ought to "loosen up" a little; that we are too stringent regarding what is appropriate for the list. But we regularly have people leave the list, just because they get too much mail from it. Just today I removed yet another person, who had signed on back in May, due to the volume of mail they were getting. If we "loosen up" the posting guidelines to start allowing some of these extra posts, we will probably double the volume of mail to the list. Sounds unlikely? Consider the numbers: Currently we average about 20 posts per day. If 20 people send in an extra post that falls outside the current guidelines, the volume of mail doubles. 20 people represents less than 1% of the current list membership. Does it still seem unlikely? I know that people mean well when they send humor to the list. (BTW, humor that is relevant to celiac disease or the gluten-free diet is acceptable.) I know it is convenient to just ask the list a question, rather than doing a little research through the archives or reference files. But if we want this list to remain a strong source of mutual support and good information, we've got to keep our membership numbers and (ideally) continue growing. To do that, we must not allow the number of posts from the list to get too high; that is the message that has come through loud and clear from most of those who have left the list, and from many of the current subscribers. I don't wish to discourage any of you from making posts to the list, or asking for help from the list. But please try the archives of previous posts and local sources of information first when appropriate, and keep posts to the list focused on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. For the listowners, ------- Jim Lyles -------- ----- [log in to unmask] ------ -- Holly, Michigan, USA --