When Replacing A Power Cord, Is A Ribbed Side Of The Cord Connected To The White Or Black Wire On The Appliance?

Either....it's AC so the current is going back and forth anyway.
Make sure you still have the ground wire though. Also, the ribbing should be on sheathing
and the wire should still have a colored casing under it...if it doesn't are you sure you're using
the correct wire for the application?