I run several free e-mail lists - as a hobby - which are aimed at the general public (yes, you); a complete FAQ (including privacy policy) is here.

The mailing lists are loosely grouped into these two categories:

The Resource List

has an eclectic mix of curriculum, worksheets, resources, lesson plan ideas, and just neat sites for homeschoolers, teachers, educators - and just regular people too!

A searchable archive of all posts is available here - take a look and see if you'd find it interesting

The Daily Joke Lists

are three lists for you to get your daily joke fix. There's one for every taste:
All donations go directly to defray costs of server fees.  These lists generate over 60,000 legitimate e-mails a year. Please chip in at least a dollar or two to help keep costs down.  Thanks!
Donate $5
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Donate whatever you like!


You got questions? I got answers. If you question about my lists isn't answered here, feel free to e-mail me here.



What is a Mailing List?

Mailing lists are like Usenet newsgroups, BBS echoes, or message areas, except that the individual messages arrive in your mailbox. Once they have arrived there, you can read them at your own pace. The mailing lists offered here vary in the number of posts - the joke lists usually only have one per day, while the resource list has 5 to 7 posts... but a few times a week (when I get a chance, basically). All of the mailing lists I offer are "read only"; that is, if you suggest a joke or site to me, I may post it and credit it to you, but I vet it first. Hence, no spam can get through - since I'm the only one posting.

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Why should I sign up?

Well, you don't have to, after all. I like to think that I put out quality lists, but there's no accounting for taste.

But I think a huge selling point (at least as to why you should try 'em) is advertising and spam. Not that there IS spam or advertising - quite the opposite. All of these lists are FREE and advertisement free.

That's right, no advertisements, no "Premium Subscriptions"... yet it's still free. I do this simply because I can and feel I should... rather than any kind of "profit model". Further, I don't resell your e-mail address like some less responsible e-mail listowners will... so keep that in mind when comparing my lists against others. I don't even do fundraisers like PBS... very much (see "So why are you doing this?", below).

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But you'll have my e-mail address?!!! (aka My Privacy Policy)

Well, yes, that's true. Here's my privacy policy:

I don't like people reselling my information, so I will not do it to others. Any data you send me will only be used to send you the lists you ask for through a double-opt-in subscription.

Simple as that. The subscriber list is masked with outbound messages (that is, nobody else can see it, unlike those forwards of forwards that have ten billion e-mail addresses in the headers), and you will have my e-mail address, after all...
Long story short, the only person who will have your e-mail address from signing up is me, and I'm not selling anything - or making money off of this.

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You aren't making any money? So why are you doing this?

Congenital insanity?

Seriously, though, I've been involved with online communication since 1991 through bulletin boards and Usenet. The joke lists originated from when I was running my old WWIV BBS (Faith Collapsing, for those of you who might remember), and I've kept them going ever since. It's a hobby for me. Bizarre, but hey, it could be worse.
That and I like to think that I'm making a difference. Telling me you like the lists is great for my ego (and my motivation to keep doing this) - but even better is, once you've decided you like them, encouraging your friends to sign up. The more people that get the lists, the more motivated I am to keep continuing.
Upshot of that is, every so often I might actually send an e-mail out to you to recommend the lists to your friends. That's my equivalent of a "pledge drive". Whoo-hoo. Lots cheaper than PBS.

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So how do I do this already?/How do I stop getting these?

Up at the top of the page are several links that direct you to the subscription pages. Or, if you prefer, you can go to the One-Stop-Shopping List Management Page and get everything squared away.

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What about my technical problems? (You sent me a virus!)


These lists are run by a guy using some home-grown software with a bunch of tweaks on a DSL connection. So if you don't get a response right away don't sweat it. I usually do two to three mail "runs" a day, so if you don't get a response right away just wait 12 hours.

Be sure to set your spam filter's "whitelist" to include the domain surge.ods.org . I use plain text e-mail, NOT HTML or Rich Text, so anybody using any mail reader should be able to read these mailings.

I do NOT send attachments to the lists! If I have one, I'll post it on a webpage and give you the URL. If you're wondering about filtering settings, information on some suggested filters are on the pages for the lists themselves (go back to the top and click on one).

I WILL NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS TO THE LISTS!. Many people have my e-mail address in thier addressbooks; I've seen bounced messages that make me think that at least some of them have been infected by e-mail worms. These are most assuredly not from me; I use Pegasus Mail and Avast! AntiVirus along with Tiny Personal Firewall to ensure that these virii do not infect my PC... or get to you from me. I have several pages about how to protect yourself in the informational section.

If you have difficulty subscribing or unsubscribing, please e-mail the listmaster

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Bought Love is a Salaried Position - PoliticalBoth Dreams and People Crash Down - Inspiration Shadows of the Spine - wierd and funny stuffWalking is the Process of Controlled Stumbling - religionIdle Thoughts Are Often True - The Work of OthersMoments are the Measure of Our Lives - life under the microscopeNewness is Relative - information overloadPerceptions do not Limit Reality - miscellaneousThis Space Intentionally Blank - free mail lists

Bought Love is a Salaried Position - PoliticalBoth Dreams and People Crash Down - Inspiration From Unlikely SourcesShadows of the Spine - wierd and funny stuffWalking is the Process of Controlled Stumbling - religionIdle Thoughts Are Often True - The Work of OthersMoments are the Measure of Our Lives - life under the microscopeNewness is Relative - information overloadPerceptions do not Limit Reality - uncategorized goodnessThis Space Intentionally Blank - free e-mail listsSome Rights ReservedMain Page