Refuseniks Unite!

Refusenik: colloquial English for any type of protester.

Having been a member of the Facebook community for around a year, I have heard of some rather disturbing news regarding personal information posted there. This information supposedly was entered in my user profile and security settings were set to prevent anyone from accessing this information. Apparently, this security feature is being bypassed by certain advertisers who pay for the privilege of accessing any information they please.

The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, was called out on the matter by Facebook users and members of Congress, and promises were made to correct the situation, to prevent access to personal information with settings adjusted for optimum privacy. Zuckerberg said that Facebook users were not using their privacy settings correctly. I beg to disagree.

Lately, certain areas of the Facebook experience have been tweaked due to user complaints, like applications such as Farmville that supposedly allow advertisers access to users’ personal information. The simple answer is: if you value your personal information and want to keep it private, don’t use these apps!

I went into my Facebook User Privacy Settings area and checked the settings I made. It is possible to adjust them for access by certain groups (everyone, friends only, friends of friends, other) or disallow access completely. It also allows settings to block certain users and applications.

I found out by accident: the privacy settings are a convoluted mess.

It pays to look around. Check ALL the settings in every available window. Don’t assume anything is automatically set to maximum privacy.

I refuse to allow just anyone to access my Facebook information. If you feel the same way, check all your privacy settings and adjust accordingly. You have been warned – Facebook can be “Big Brother” if you are not careful.

A book worth reading

Recently, I heard about a new book that seemed quite impossible.

It is titled The Last Muster – Images of the Revolutionary War Generation by Maureen Taylor, and is a collection of pictures and stories of the last survivors of the American Revolutionary War and some of their family members.

In an era where photography was still a rather recent development, these war veterans were very old and some in poor health. But in their hometowns they were considered heroes, and thus first to be photographed.

A quote from the author:

“I wondered if it was possible to use photographic and documentary evidence to re-create the first generation of Americans — those men, women, and children bound together by having lived during the Revolutionary War… While there were many images in public collections or owned by collectors, I knew through my work as a curator and as a collector that there were likely even more in private family collections.”

This book has been reviewed by several critics and has received praise for being well-researched and interesting. I have yet to read it, but have recommended it to be purchased by my local library.

Source – Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, 11 July 2010:
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/07/book-review-the-last-muster-by-maureen-taylor.html

Social Networking for Genealogists? Sure.

• social networking (noun): a way of using online resources and services to create and maintain a community of individuals who share a common interest.

Social networking seems to be one of those ideas that people love or hate. When I was first encouraged to join Facebook, I resisted. All I knew about social networking is that young people used it to post pictures and messages that they probably should keep to themselves. Reluctantly, I opened a Facebook account. I was surprised at all the groups with related interests, including history and genealogy.

My own experience using Facebook has allowed me to learn from other genealogists, share information, stay in contact with family members in other geographic areas, and share old photos and memories. I wish I would have tried social networking sooner – it’s a blast!

Social networking on the World Wide Web is kind of like being part of a ‘virtual organization’. You can collaborate with other researchers and share information at the touch of a button. If you are brave and technically savvy enough, you can become a member of a virtual world called “Second Life”, where avatars (digital representations of real people) get together and discuss relevant topics. Yes, there are even genealogists and librarians in Second Life.

Other types of social networking include: message boards and mailing lists, RSS (real simple syndication), blogs, wikis, podcasts, and sharing photos and personal libraries. The possibilities are endless, as are the types of results you can get from the various sources online. Online collaboration is available for help in getting over those troublesome ancestral “brick walls”.

Not sure if you want to consider being a part of social networking? You should – I was reluctant at first. It opens up a whole new world of resources for genealogical research and for making contact with other people involved in genealogy (including some of your “relatives”). Read the book titled “Social Networking for Genealogists” by Drew Smith (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2009) for explanation of the myriad versions of social networking and how to use them for family history research. He puts it into language that even some computer neophytes can understand.

Try it, you’ll like it. Refer to the following blog for further motivation:

http://blog.worldvitalrecords.com/2009/07/16/how-genealogists-use-social-networking

My thoughts on DNA testing, genetic genealogy

I have been a member of the Genealogy DNA email group on RootsWeb for several months, and have been monitoring the postings by other members. What I have learned so far is this – the world of DNA testing for family history purposes has advanced considerably, but has yet a long way to go.

Keep in mind this is different from the DNA testing done for purposes of forensic science. What you see on an episode of “CSI” is not quite the same as what happens at a typical genealogical DNA testing lab.

I believe the realm of DNA testing and genetic genealogy has come a long way in a relatively short time and can be a very positive experience for anyone who wants the test done to compare with other potential family members, but also can have consequences for those who don’t understand the test results.

The companies that do DNA testing for genealogy offer many different types of tests offered to anyone wanting to do so, but for a price. The more markers you want tested, the more expensive the test procedure. The testing companies offer both mtDNA and Y-DNA tests, but most people don’t understand the difference and what relevance they provide. Plus, the testing companies are operated by humans, and like most people, they are apt to make mistakes that can lead to confusion and frustration on the part of the customers.

Those tests with fewer than 24 markers may be the least expensive, but are somewhat difficult to compare to other results for family connections. The more markers tested, the better. But be prepared to put out some major bucks for these expanded tests. Often you can save money by joining a surname or ethnic research group who will provide testing discounts to members. Plus, you will have a ready group of others you can share results with.

There are many testing firms, some more reliable than others. Personally, I have not taken any DNA tests, but have read comments of the other members of the RootsWeb DNA group, and am inclined to believe that there is still room for improvement in the quality of the tests, and reliability of the test results. Most of the testing labs provide websites with databases for comparing your DNA test results with others. Most labs also provide educational sites, allowing members to understand what their test results mean.

My conclusion is this: it may be OK to do the testing if you are able to afford it, but don’t put too much faith in the results. The more markers you have tested, the better the results may be, and the chances for a match to someone else’s results are greater as well. And do yourself a favor and get educated BEFORE you get your results back. After all, this is new and advanced science we are talking about. Not quite rocket science, but almost. The “experts” are debating it still.

That’s my 2 cents, for what it’s worth.

Islands of San Seriffe

San Serriffe is an island nation in the southern oceans. Owing to a peculiarity of ocean currents and erosion, its exact position varies. A recent report locating it in the Bering Sea was presumably an error. On April 1, 2006 it was reported that San Serriffe was then just off New Zealand’s South Island, but if the rate of movement really is 1.4 km per year as published, San Serriffe should stay in the Indian Ocean for several millennia.

San Serriffe is an archipelago consisting of two main islands and a number of smaller ones. Of the larger islands, the more northerly (the Caissa Superiore or Upper Caisse) is roughly round and the more southerly (the Caissa Inferiore or Lower Caisse) round but with a promontory extending south-westwards from the south-east, at Thirty Point. The two major islands are separated by the Shoals of Adze, dominated by Cap Em. A major inland feature is a swamp, the Woj of Type.

The capital, Bodoni, is in the centre of the Caissa Superiore, and is served by an international airport. It is linked by fast highways to the major ports, including Port Clarendon and Port Elrod, which both provide ample commercial shipping facilities.

Upper Caisse in particular is well served by a network of railway lines serving Bodoni, the airport and the major coastal towns, including the phosphate mining and processing region in the north east. The main line, built by the Great North Bodoni Railway Company, had its own golf club, at Port Baskerville.

A ferry connects Adze on the south coast of the northern island to Cap Em on the north coast of the southern island and there were plans to build a west coastal line as far as Gill Cameo, but it is not known if this line was completed.

Possibly because of its reportedly remote and shifting location, the full history of San Serriffe has never been adequately told, but these basic details are known:

• 1421. Discovered by adventurers recruited by John Street, an English admirer of Henry the Navigator. The crew made their historic landfall in the Shoals of Adze.
• 1432–1439. Colonized by the Spanish and Portuguese.
• 1659. Annexed by Great Britain.
• 1815. Ceded to Portugal.
• 1824–1836. The condominium (a term of uncertain meaning).
• April 1, 1967. Independence; a social democratic government takes control.
• June 1967. Colonel Hispalis seizes control.
• August 1969. General Minion seizes control.
• May 11, 1971. General M.-J. Pica assumes responsibility for the government, and institutes martial law and assumes full dictatorial powers in response to “foreign terrorist infiltration.” This leads to nationwide protests, escalating into civil war and 23 years of chaos and anarchy.
• May 12 1997. First general election. Antonio Bourgeois swept to power.

The native people of San Serriffe are known as the Flong. However, the dominant group are of European stock, the descendants of colonists, known as colons. There is also a large mixed-race group, known as semi-colons. In the last available census (1973), as reported on April 1, 1977, the population was 1,782,724, with approximately 640,000 colons and semi-colons; 574,000 Flongs; 271,000 Creoles; 117,000 Malaysians; 92,000 Arabs; and 88,000 persons of other ethnic groups.

For many years following independence in 1967, San Serriffe had an autocratic form of government under military strongman General Pica. Democratic elections were held in 1997, and the winner was the charismatic Antonio Bourgeois.

Among the cultural highlights are:

• The Cult of the Sonorous Enigma
• The Festival of the Well-Made Play
• The Ampersand String Quartet

The relaxation of the islands’ strict anti-pornography laws under the Bourgeois government has led to the publication of a series of risqué novels by Serriffean journalists, collectively referred to as the “Times Nude Romances”.

The bitter-sweet swarfega is prepared in various ways to create unique Serriffean dishes. Because of this, the local cuisine lacks the oily character of some related styles.

The national bird of San Serriffe is the kwote, a member of the guillemot (guillemets) family.

In October 2008 Donald Knuth established the Bank of San Serriffe (in Thirty Point, Lower Caisse, San Serriffe), which is an offshore institution that has branches in Blefuscu and Elbonia on the planet Pincus.

San Serriffe is a fictional island nation created for April Fools’ Day, 1977, by Britain’s Guardian newspaper. An elaborate description of the nation, using puns and plays on words relating to typography (such as “sans serif”), was reported as legitimate news, apparently fooling many readers. In more recent years knowledge of typography has spread through widespread use of computers, and so the jokes are much more likely to be spotted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Serriffe

Family History Research – my beginnings

I never cared much for history in grade school or high school – to me it was just a bunch of irrelevant events, names and dates. That changed when I started to research my family history. All of a sudden, it was relevant and interesting. I was hooked, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My interest in genealogy began in 1998, when I scanned a few pages from our family Bible. It contained names and dates of many ancestors, some I knew of and others were unknown. Mom had often talked about her family, and the various places that her ancestors came from, and what a group of “Heinz 57” people we are. Dad’s family came from Italy and Germany, and he knew about only some of his ancestors.

I attended a few seminars to learn how to do more thorough research. Beginning with the names in the family Bible, I did my first searches on the internet, and through “beginners luck” ran across a website belonging to a woman who had researched these ancestors already. The information I found there allowed me to fill in several gaps that existed in my own research. I am indebted to her for getting me started with such a huge amount of information on one branch of my family tree.

Since I was a professional graphic designer when I began my research, I had access to computers and some good digital scanners and printers. My family had several boxes of old family photos that I took to scan and digitize (and I am still in the process of doing so). Problem was, very few of the photos were labeled with names and dates. Some of the faces I recognized, others were a mystery.

My frustration got the better of me, and I wondered how to solve this family history “puzzle” with some of the pieces missing. Through trial and error I learned how to create web pages, and put together a personal genealogy website. And thanks to RootsWeb and their free site hosting, I uploaded the site and began my “fishing expedition.” My dad once asked me what I hoped to accomplish with an incomplete website. I told him I was “fishing for relatives,” and they would help me fill in the blanks. Over the years I have “caught” more than my limit of relatives and friends.

I uploaded some of the digitized images to the website as well, and asked if anyone recognized the mysterious folks in the photos. I also created a searchable family tree and uploaded it as well, and if anyone was looking at it, asked if they recognized any names, places, dates (and errors if they found any).

Twelve years later, I am still learning about genealogy. DNA research has opened a new door to finding relatives and proving relationships (or not). My family tree website has grown, but I still have a long way to go (genealogy is never really finished). I have a lot of people to thank for random acts of kindness, and only hope I can return the favor.

Genealogy Comes Full Circle

I just finished watching a new series on television called “Who Do Think You Are?” It is similar to another series on PBS titled “Faces of America.” Both are about people doing family history research for the first time, with some amazing results.

The people in the shows are famous, but the premise can apply to anyone. If you do enough research and know where to look, you can come up with interesting ancestors with some remarkable stories.

I think the point of these “reality” TV shows was to get more people interested in genealogy, especially those who don’t know where to start or don’t care who their ancestors were. For people like me, it is just “preaching to the choir.”

When I was in school, I could care less about history. I felt it wasn’t relevant to me, as I did not know much about my ancestors or what role they may have played in history in general. Then, I discovered genealogy, and my whole attitude towards history took a different direction. I was hooked.

So now it seems that family history research has become more popular than ever, probably having to do with the enormous amount of family and history information online. I can’t imagine doing research when there was no internet – all the hours spent in libraries, courthouses and cemeteries, writing letters to supposed relatives, sometimes with nothing to show for it. Wasted time and energy. But no more. There are many family history researchers such as myself who put the bulk of their research online for everyone to share. I call it paying it forward. After all, much of my research is due to the generous effort of many researchers (relatives or not) who have put their knowledge online to share with me.

Here are links to the TV shows:

Faces of America (PBS)
http://video.pbs.org/program/1397337072/

Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC)
http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/

and a link to my genealogy website:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~unclejoe

That’s it for now.

Joe

Is There a Santa Claus?

Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s SUN, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of THE SUN:

“DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
“Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
“Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’
“Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

“VIRGINIA O’HANLON.
“115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.”

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

The Twelve Days of Christmas (Genealogy Style)

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Twelve census searches
Eleven family bibles
Ten e-mail contacts
Nine headstone rubbings
Eight wills and admins
Seven miners mining
Six second cousins
Five coats of arms
Four GEDCOM files
Three old wills
Two CD-ROMs
And a branch in my family tree.

– Author Unknown

Another folk tale

A local weather meteorologist has been talking lately about the woolly bear caterpillar and the old folk tale about it being used to predict the severity of the coming winter. I have seen a couple of these caterpillars in my backyard and I am not sure what to make of it – one was solid black and the other was half-brown and black. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the woolly bear:

“Folklore of the eastern United States and Canada holds that the relative amounts of brown and black on the skin of a woolly bear caterpillar (commonly abundant in the fall) are an indication of the severity of the coming winter. It is believed that if a woolly bear caterpillar’s brown stripe is thick, the winter weather will be mild and if the brown stripes are narrow, the winter will be severe. In reality, hatchlings from the same clutch of eggs can display considerable variation in their color distribution, and the brown band tends to grow with age; if there is any truth to the aphorism, it is minimal.”
Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrharctia_isabella

Makes for interesting conversation, anyway.

Joe