Posts
Well, Dick does it again! Another controversial report. His blog comments from the public are both pro and con on this one.
What do you think?
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September 04, 2008
Ancestry.com and FGS to Collaborate on Large Indexing Initiative For Individuals
The following announcement was written by The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com:
ANCESTRY.COM LAUNCHES GLOBAL PUBLIC INDEXING INITIATIVE AND ANNOUNCES FIRST COLLABORATION WITH THE FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES
Ancestry.com Introduces the World Archives Project to Preserve and Provide Online Access to Historical Records
Philadelphia – Sept. 4, 2008 – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today launched the World Archives Project, a global public indexing initiative designed to give individuals everywhere the opportunity to help preserve historical records. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is the first organization to partner with Ancestry.com during this beta phase of this new venture, enlisting genealogists and family history enthusiasts to help test the software and prepare it for a more public release.
Now in public beta, the World Archives Project allows individuals to transcribe information from images of original historical records and to create indexes that will remain accessible for free on Ancestry.com and on Ancestry’s localized sites in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and Italy. Active contributors* will soon be able to access all original images that are part of the World Archives Project. Organizations can also partner with the World Archives Project and sponsor indexing projects. Ancestry.com will donate a digital copy of the sponsored index and images back to partnering organizations.
“As a global society, we are falling further and further behind when it comes to digitizing historical records,” said Tim Sullivan, president and CEO of The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com. “The World Archives Project allows us to work collectively as a community to preserve and to digitize records that will otherwise surely be lost to the wear and tear of time. By providing free access to these indexes on the world’s most popular family history website, we will provide millions of people with access to records that might help them unlock new clues about their ancestors.”
Already, several thousand individuals have joined the World Archives Project private beta, indexing Wisconsin Mortality Schedules and Nebraska State Censuses. Participants provided feedback and recommendations for this public beta release.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this cause and to help spread the world about this new initiative,” said Wendy Elliott-Scheinberg, president of FGS. “The World Archives Project is a great way for enthusiasts and genealogical societies to directly impact and further family history research.”
“FGS has been enormously helpful in the development of our vision for the World Archives Project,” said Sullivan. “The 500+ genealogy societies that FGS represents are absolutely critical to the continued health and growth of genealogical research. We’ve been searching for years for the right way to partner with genealogy societies, and we think this project will allow us to help them attract new members by leveraging the popularity of Ancestry.com. We appreciate the encouragement and support FGS provides and look forward to continuing our relationship as this project marches forward.”
For more information about the World Archives Project or to get involved, visit www.ancestry.com/worldarchivesproject.
*Specific guidelines must be met to be considered an active contributor. For more information, visit http://landing.ancestry.com/wap/learnmore.aspx.
About Ancestry.com
With 26,000 searchable databases and titles and nearly 3 million active users, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including www.myfamily.com, www.rootsweb.com, www.genealogy.com and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive nearly 7.5 million unique visitors worldwide (© comScore Media Metrix, July 2008). To easily begin researching your family history, visit www.ancestry.com.
About FGS
The Federation of Genealogical Societies links the genealogical community by serving the needs of its member societies, providing products and services needed by member societies, and marshaling the resources of its member organizations. FGS was founded in 1976 and represents the members of more than 500 genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow. To do this, FGS publishes FORUM magazine, filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news. FGS also publishes an extensive series of Society Strategy Papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 04, 2008
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What does the Ol' Mountain Genealogist think?
Hey, if it makes it more accessible for those of us who have to travel any distance to get to resources, I'm all for it! Even with fees to be able to access it, I still save gas, copy fees, and motel and food bills! It allows me to perform professional research for clients without ever leaving the comfort of my own home. And yes, some days I work in my pj's or my sweats! No need for suits or expensives dresses to meet with the public! So, you figure how much I save by accessing from home!
Yep, it's worth the fees to me!!!
cbh
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
One Document Solution
Just received this from Dick Eastman's EOGN. Leave it to Dick to offer us some really great ideas! Of course, if we didn't procrastinate, well... you get the picture!
Thanks Dick!
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September 03, 2008
Have Your Documents Scanned the Easy Way
I have a four drawer filing cabinet that is mostly full of paper. Two drawers are full of genealogy documents: a mixture of my handwritten notes and of photocopies, all of them made years ago. I now scan electronically and transcribe onto a computer; I no longer collect paper. However, there must be several thousand sheets of paper in that filing cabinet that I made in "the old days" before I started computerizing.
I really need to scan those documents, get them into a proper genealogy database, and then file and organize them properly. The longer I procrastinate, the bigger the problem. I don't dig into that filing cabinet often but the last time that I did I noticed that many of the photocopies are fading. Some are already difficult to read and the problem will become worse the longer I procrastinate.
In reality, a bigger problem is the simple inconvenience: trying to dig through old papers is much more difficult than typing a keyword on a computer and having the proper document image pop up on the screen a second or two later.
Whatever the reason, I am not using the old paper documents any longer and they are deteriorating. I really need to scan them. However, there always seems to be "one more thing" that is more urgent and demanding my attention. The papers remain unscanned and fading.
Probably the best idea is to hire someone to scan them for me. The problem is finding such a person: I don't have grandchildren and I don't know any youngster in the neighborhood willing to do the task. Maybe I could find a college student...
Luckily, there are commercial scanning services available. They are not cheap, but they certainly are willing to do the job. Most of them wish to deal with corporations that have tens of thousands of pages to scan, such as insurance companies or hospitals. I don't have enough documents to scan to even appear on their "radar screens." My two drawers of paper may seem to be a huge problem for me but is miniscule compared to the customers the commercial scanners wish to attract. I suspect most of these companies will also want a minimum charge that is higher than what my budget allows. However, this week I found one company that solicits small scale work from private individuals.
Pixily is in the business of scanning documents and then placing them on a secure and private web site that requires a user name and password for access. You can leave the documents online where you can access them at any time or you can easily download them and store them on your own hard drive. You can even do both: download them and simultaneously leave an online copy for backup purposes. The documents are yours and you are in control of the disposition of each document.
The company accepts work of 50 pages at a time; each collection of 50 or more pages is a "batch." You can send in as many or as few "batches" as you wish and you are charged accordingly. The more documents you send per month, the cheaper the pricing on a per-document basis. However, the prices are not cheap: prices vary from $14.95 for a single batch per month to $59.95 for four batches per month. The higher the monthly fee, the more pages may be stored online, up to 12,000 pages (that would be many months' of scanning). Those prices include the cost of postage in both directions: sending in the documents as well as the return postage of processed documents. All paper documents are mailed back to you after they have been processed.
At any time you may increase the online storage by 100 pages for an additional 15¢ per month. You can also mail in additional sheets of paper to be scanned at any time for 12¢ per sheet.
Pixily does not care what kind documents you send. You can send photocopies of old records, hand written notes, tax records, photocopies of old books, grocery receipts, medical records, or most anything else up to 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches. Pixily is not equipped for oversized documents. I also would never send any delicate documents to the company; the scanning process is heavily automated and anything that is delicate may not get handled with the care and attention that I would want. However, the service should work well for most regular documents.
Pixily also accepts digital documents: you may already have PDF files or word processing documents or even screenshots of web sites that you want to store. You can upload the digital files to Pixily's servers and have the files stored there for backup purposes. Again, you can access those files at any time in the future from any computer that has an Internet connection. All you need is the proper user name and password.
Scanning my two drawers' of documents will cost quite a bit of money. Then again, it might actually get done, something that is not happening now. Pixily is also a great tool if you want to scan the various receipts that you collect for tax purposes; you can have everything stored digitally and organized by keywords (that you create) for instant retrieval as needed.
For more information about Pixily or to check out the company's free trial, go to http://www.pixily.com.
Now is the time to get digitized and go completely paperless.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 03, 2008
****
Until Next Time!
cbh
Thanks Dick!
****
September 03, 2008
Have Your Documents Scanned the Easy Way
I have a four drawer filing cabinet that is mostly full of paper. Two drawers are full of genealogy documents: a mixture of my handwritten notes and of photocopies, all of them made years ago. I now scan electronically and transcribe onto a computer; I no longer collect paper. However, there must be several thousand sheets of paper in that filing cabinet that I made in "the old days" before I started computerizing.
I really need to scan those documents, get them into a proper genealogy database, and then file and organize them properly. The longer I procrastinate, the bigger the problem. I don't dig into that filing cabinet often but the last time that I did I noticed that many of the photocopies are fading. Some are already difficult to read and the problem will become worse the longer I procrastinate.
In reality, a bigger problem is the simple inconvenience: trying to dig through old papers is much more difficult than typing a keyword on a computer and having the proper document image pop up on the screen a second or two later.
Whatever the reason, I am not using the old paper documents any longer and they are deteriorating. I really need to scan them. However, there always seems to be "one more thing" that is more urgent and demanding my attention. The papers remain unscanned and fading.
Probably the best idea is to hire someone to scan them for me. The problem is finding such a person: I don't have grandchildren and I don't know any youngster in the neighborhood willing to do the task. Maybe I could find a college student...
Luckily, there are commercial scanning services available. They are not cheap, but they certainly are willing to do the job. Most of them wish to deal with corporations that have tens of thousands of pages to scan, such as insurance companies or hospitals. I don't have enough documents to scan to even appear on their "radar screens." My two drawers of paper may seem to be a huge problem for me but is miniscule compared to the customers the commercial scanners wish to attract. I suspect most of these companies will also want a minimum charge that is higher than what my budget allows. However, this week I found one company that solicits small scale work from private individuals.
Pixily is in the business of scanning documents and then placing them on a secure and private web site that requires a user name and password for access. You can leave the documents online where you can access them at any time or you can easily download them and store them on your own hard drive. You can even do both: download them and simultaneously leave an online copy for backup purposes. The documents are yours and you are in control of the disposition of each document.
The company accepts work of 50 pages at a time; each collection of 50 or more pages is a "batch." You can send in as many or as few "batches" as you wish and you are charged accordingly. The more documents you send per month, the cheaper the pricing on a per-document basis. However, the prices are not cheap: prices vary from $14.95 for a single batch per month to $59.95 for four batches per month. The higher the monthly fee, the more pages may be stored online, up to 12,000 pages (that would be many months' of scanning). Those prices include the cost of postage in both directions: sending in the documents as well as the return postage of processed documents. All paper documents are mailed back to you after they have been processed.
At any time you may increase the online storage by 100 pages for an additional 15¢ per month. You can also mail in additional sheets of paper to be scanned at any time for 12¢ per sheet.
Pixily does not care what kind documents you send. You can send photocopies of old records, hand written notes, tax records, photocopies of old books, grocery receipts, medical records, or most anything else up to 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches. Pixily is not equipped for oversized documents. I also would never send any delicate documents to the company; the scanning process is heavily automated and anything that is delicate may not get handled with the care and attention that I would want. However, the service should work well for most regular documents.
Pixily also accepts digital documents: you may already have PDF files or word processing documents or even screenshots of web sites that you want to store. You can upload the digital files to Pixily's servers and have the files stored there for backup purposes. Again, you can access those files at any time in the future from any computer that has an Internet connection. All you need is the proper user name and password.
Scanning my two drawers' of documents will cost quite a bit of money. Then again, it might actually get done, something that is not happening now. Pixily is also a great tool if you want to scan the various receipts that you collect for tax purposes; you can have everything stored digitally and organized by keywords (that you create) for instant retrieval as needed.
For more information about Pixily or to check out the company's free trial, go to http://www.pixily.com.
Now is the time to get digitized and go completely paperless.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 03, 2008
****
Until Next Time!
cbh
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Free Virus Protection
I received this from Dick Eastman in his EOGN. Be sure to weigh the pro's and con's! - cbh
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September 02, 2008
A Free Anti-Virus Program
I have no idea why this information isn't better known. This is one of the best bargains I know of for Windows users, and yet most people have never heard of it.
First of all, every Windows computer needs an anti-virus program running at all times. If you are running a Windows computer right now without up-to-date anti-virus software, your system will become infected with a virus sooner or later. In fact, your PC may be infected right now without your knowledge. Yet there is a free and easy method of avoiding viruses.
This is also a great tool for Macintosh users who use Parallels or VMware Fusion to run Windows programs on the Mac.
If you already have an anti-virus program installed, there are several things you should know:
All anti-virus programs will slow the operation of your computer. This is inevitable. However, some anti-virus programs will slow your computer more than others. Generally speaking, the well-known, more sophisticated programs will slow the computer down more than the simpler ones. The free program I will describe slows a computer less than do most of its competitors.
Almost all commercial anti-virus programs cost money to purchase, and then you find out that the program only works for a year. In fact, every anti-virus program must be updated daily or every few days to make sure it is always prepared for new virus that have recently been found. After twelve months, most commercial anti-virus programs will ask you to pay another $30 to $60 for another year's worth of updates. (Some programs will not ask for two years.) The free program I will describe is free to purchase and never asks for any additional money.
The better-known commercial anti-virus programs seem to suffer from "feature-itis." That is, the software producers keep adding more and more features to make the program do more and more. Common additions include anti-phishing features, anti-spyware, online identity protection, web site authentication, a firewall, anti-rootkit protection, and more. To be sure, some of these features may be very useful, especially for computer novices. Knowledgeable Windows users may find such features unnecessary since most of us can recognize phishing, spyware, and such things without additional software. Whether you deem these "extra features" to be useful or not, each adds bulk to the program, slows the computer down still more, and also probably increases the price. The free program I will describe is simple: it protects against viruses. However, the same software producer offers a free anti-spyware product and a free anti-rootkit product. In addition to the free products, the same company adds an even more sophisticated combination of features for a modest price, although not free.
NOTE: For more information on some of these terms, look at the following:Virus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirusSpyware - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpywarePhishing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhishingRootkit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit
One free program can stop viruses from entering your Windows system. If your computer is already infected, the same program may be able to remove the virus (no program is ever guaranteed to be able to remove ALL viruses). Best of all, the program is available free of charge. The program is:
AVG Free Edition produced by GriSoft
AVG Free Edition is an excellent anti-virus program that stops viruses as well as most of the commercial products. Its effectiveness has been tested and verified by West Coast Labs, ICSA Laboratories and Virus Bulletin. I do not have proper virus testing capabilities, so I cannot test AVG myself. However, I will say that I have been using AVG Free Edition as the anti-virus program on one of my Windows XP systems for several years and have never had a virus on that system, despite the fact that it is exposed to the Internet and many web sites and hundreds of e-mail messages every day.
Obviously, the best thing about AVG Free Edition is its price: free. You can download it right now and start using it immediately. The program updates its anti-virus rules every few days to keep your protection at the maximum level possible.
AVG Free Edition does have several disadvantages, however. You need to be aware of these limitations:
AVG is licensed for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. You cannot use it on any computer being used at work or at any corporation or for any commercial use whatsoever. It also may not be used in schools, charities, churches, or governmental organizations. AVG sells a commercial version for computers not allowed under the Free Edition license.
You may use AVG Free Edition on a maximum of one computer. If you own two or more computers, you may only use AVG Free Edition on one of them.
There is no tech support available for AVG Free Edition. Full tech support is available only with the commercial version.
Downloading the program and/or the updates may be slower for AVG Free Edition than for the commercial version. This strikes me as a minor limitation.
I am pleased with AVG Free Edition. I also hear good things about the product from others who are using it. In fact, a few months ago I needed to renew the subscription of a commercial anti-virus product I had been using in my other Windows computers. I purchased the computer a year ago and it included a one-year subscription to one of the well-known anti-virus programs. Now the year was up. Since I was already using one copy of AVG Free Edition, I could not use it in my other Windows systems. Instead, I purchased the "high end version" of the AVG free program: AVG Internet Security Home Edition, which is licensed for installation in three separate computers. The total cost to protect all three systems for one year was $54.99. However, I chose the two-year option for $79.99. That works out to $13.33 per computer per year - a bargain when compared to the anti-virus programs I see at the local computer store.
One thing that surprised me is that my Windows computer now runs significantly faster since I replaced the well-known anti-virus program with AVG Internet Security Home Edition.
If you have a single Windows computer that needs anti-virus protection, I'd suggest that you look at AVG Free Edition at http://free.grisoft.com.
If you have more computers to protect or need still more protection for a single computer, I'd then suggest that you look at the company's commercial products. They work well and are cheaper than most competitive products.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 02, 2008
***************
cbh
************
September 02, 2008
A Free Anti-Virus Program
I have no idea why this information isn't better known. This is one of the best bargains I know of for Windows users, and yet most people have never heard of it.
First of all, every Windows computer needs an anti-virus program running at all times. If you are running a Windows computer right now without up-to-date anti-virus software, your system will become infected with a virus sooner or later. In fact, your PC may be infected right now without your knowledge. Yet there is a free and easy method of avoiding viruses.
This is also a great tool for Macintosh users who use Parallels or VMware Fusion to run Windows programs on the Mac.
If you already have an anti-virus program installed, there are several things you should know:
All anti-virus programs will slow the operation of your computer. This is inevitable. However, some anti-virus programs will slow your computer more than others. Generally speaking, the well-known, more sophisticated programs will slow the computer down more than the simpler ones. The free program I will describe slows a computer less than do most of its competitors.
Almost all commercial anti-virus programs cost money to purchase, and then you find out that the program only works for a year. In fact, every anti-virus program must be updated daily or every few days to make sure it is always prepared for new virus that have recently been found. After twelve months, most commercial anti-virus programs will ask you to pay another $30 to $60 for another year's worth of updates. (Some programs will not ask for two years.) The free program I will describe is free to purchase and never asks for any additional money.
The better-known commercial anti-virus programs seem to suffer from "feature-itis." That is, the software producers keep adding more and more features to make the program do more and more. Common additions include anti-phishing features, anti-spyware, online identity protection, web site authentication, a firewall, anti-rootkit protection, and more. To be sure, some of these features may be very useful, especially for computer novices. Knowledgeable Windows users may find such features unnecessary since most of us can recognize phishing, spyware, and such things without additional software. Whether you deem these "extra features" to be useful or not, each adds bulk to the program, slows the computer down still more, and also probably increases the price. The free program I will describe is simple: it protects against viruses. However, the same software producer offers a free anti-spyware product and a free anti-rootkit product. In addition to the free products, the same company adds an even more sophisticated combination of features for a modest price, although not free.
NOTE: For more information on some of these terms, look at the following:Virus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirusSpyware - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpywarePhishing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhishingRootkit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit
One free program can stop viruses from entering your Windows system. If your computer is already infected, the same program may be able to remove the virus (no program is ever guaranteed to be able to remove ALL viruses). Best of all, the program is available free of charge. The program is:
AVG Free Edition produced by GriSoft
AVG Free Edition is an excellent anti-virus program that stops viruses as well as most of the commercial products. Its effectiveness has been tested and verified by West Coast Labs, ICSA Laboratories and Virus Bulletin. I do not have proper virus testing capabilities, so I cannot test AVG myself. However, I will say that I have been using AVG Free Edition as the anti-virus program on one of my Windows XP systems for several years and have never had a virus on that system, despite the fact that it is exposed to the Internet and many web sites and hundreds of e-mail messages every day.
Obviously, the best thing about AVG Free Edition is its price: free. You can download it right now and start using it immediately. The program updates its anti-virus rules every few days to keep your protection at the maximum level possible.
AVG Free Edition does have several disadvantages, however. You need to be aware of these limitations:
AVG is licensed for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. You cannot use it on any computer being used at work or at any corporation or for any commercial use whatsoever. It also may not be used in schools, charities, churches, or governmental organizations. AVG sells a commercial version for computers not allowed under the Free Edition license.
You may use AVG Free Edition on a maximum of one computer. If you own two or more computers, you may only use AVG Free Edition on one of them.
There is no tech support available for AVG Free Edition. Full tech support is available only with the commercial version.
Downloading the program and/or the updates may be slower for AVG Free Edition than for the commercial version. This strikes me as a minor limitation.
I am pleased with AVG Free Edition. I also hear good things about the product from others who are using it. In fact, a few months ago I needed to renew the subscription of a commercial anti-virus product I had been using in my other Windows computers. I purchased the computer a year ago and it included a one-year subscription to one of the well-known anti-virus programs. Now the year was up. Since I was already using one copy of AVG Free Edition, I could not use it in my other Windows systems. Instead, I purchased the "high end version" of the AVG free program: AVG Internet Security Home Edition, which is licensed for installation in three separate computers. The total cost to protect all three systems for one year was $54.99. However, I chose the two-year option for $79.99. That works out to $13.33 per computer per year - a bargain when compared to the anti-virus programs I see at the local computer store.
One thing that surprised me is that my Windows computer now runs significantly faster since I replaced the well-known anti-virus program with AVG Internet Security Home Edition.
If you have a single Windows computer that needs anti-virus protection, I'd suggest that you look at AVG Free Edition at http://free.grisoft.com.
If you have more computers to protect or need still more protection for a single computer, I'd then suggest that you look at the company's commercial products. They work well and are cheaper than most competitive products.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 02, 2008
***************
cbh
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
New Website
Okay, folks, last post for the day, [I promise!]
From yesterdays, EOGN and Dick Eastman comes the following:
September 01, 2008
New Web Site Maps Surnames Worldwide
We all want to know where our ancestors came from but many of us are also curious as to where our distant relatives now live. A new web site can provide many such clues, if not definitive answers.
The Public Profiler site plots eight million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories. The site covers 300 million people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have moved to. The site also reveals which of the five million first names (forenames) are most closely associated with different surnames and lists the top regions and cities for each surname.
The Public Profiler web site was developed by a team of geographers from University College London. Professor Paul Longley, one of the researchers, said: "The information is not just historical but geographical. We can link names to places - a name is now not just a statement of who you are but where you are."
Most surnames originated in specific places in the world and remain most frequent in those areas, but have often spread to other countries because of migration, the research shows.
I found the site easy to use. Enter a surname and see where others of that name are located around the world. Dots are shown on a world map is shown with each dot representing a concentration of people with that name. The more unusual name, the better it works.
You do need to have JavaScript enabled on your browser and a recent version of Flash Player installed on your computer to see the maps. It works well on both Windows and Macintosh systems.
When I visited the site, I found it to be very, very slow. It seems that the site is brand new and is apparently overwhelmed by users. It is far more popular than the creators expected and the web server it runs on was not designed to handle the heavy load. I received several errors of “Error..Database is busy..“ when using it. If you encounter the same, you might leave and then try again in a few hours or even in a few days.
To try the Public Profiler site, go to http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 01, 2008
***********
Okay, folks, there are mixed comments on this site. Some say they weren't able to access it, stated "Server Busy" alerts, and "Website Under Construction" alerts. I went to view it at 1 A.M. [I know, what can I say? I'm a night owl and do my best work at the midnight hour!] Anyway, I had no problems accessing it, [and I'm on a stinky old dial up!]. It was interesting and fun to view! So, have a try with it. It's becoming overwhelmingly popular and I'm sure the writers of the program will upgrade soon!
cbh
From yesterdays, EOGN and Dick Eastman comes the following:
September 01, 2008
New Web Site Maps Surnames Worldwide
We all want to know where our ancestors came from but many of us are also curious as to where our distant relatives now live. A new web site can provide many such clues, if not definitive answers.
The Public Profiler site plots eight million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories. The site covers 300 million people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have moved to. The site also reveals which of the five million first names (forenames) are most closely associated with different surnames and lists the top regions and cities for each surname.
The Public Profiler web site was developed by a team of geographers from University College London. Professor Paul Longley, one of the researchers, said: "The information is not just historical but geographical. We can link names to places - a name is now not just a statement of who you are but where you are."
Most surnames originated in specific places in the world and remain most frequent in those areas, but have often spread to other countries because of migration, the research shows.
I found the site easy to use. Enter a surname and see where others of that name are located around the world. Dots are shown on a world map is shown with each dot representing a concentration of people with that name. The more unusual name, the better it works.
You do need to have JavaScript enabled on your browser and a recent version of Flash Player installed on your computer to see the maps. It works well on both Windows and Macintosh systems.
When I visited the site, I found it to be very, very slow. It seems that the site is brand new and is apparently overwhelmed by users. It is far more popular than the creators expected and the web server it runs on was not designed to handle the heavy load. I received several errors of “Error..Database is busy..“ when using it. If you encounter the same, you might leave and then try again in a few hours or even in a few days.
To try the Public Profiler site, go to http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames.
Posted by Dick Eastman on September 01, 2008
***********
Okay, folks, there are mixed comments on this site. Some say they weren't able to access it, stated "Server Busy" alerts, and "Website Under Construction" alerts. I went to view it at 1 A.M. [I know, what can I say? I'm a night owl and do my best work at the midnight hour!] Anyway, I had no problems accessing it, [and I'm on a stinky old dial up!]. It was interesting and fun to view! So, have a try with it. It's becoming overwhelmingly popular and I'm sure the writers of the program will upgrade soon!
cbh
An Inspiring Post From Arlene Eakle
I received this post this morning, and was so inspired! I have to share it with all of you.
This summer, I decided to buy a lawn mower. I have 1/4 acre of lawn and large, very large elm and ash trees. It costs a minimum of $160.00 per month to have a lawn service mow the lawn. That is just the mowing. To water the lawn costs a minimum of $160.00 per month. That is just the water on the lawn and the trees. So I figured if I got a lawn mower and mowed it myself, I could pay for the water to keep it green.
I also reasoned that if I walked behind the mower all summer, I would not have to walk on the treadmill and I would get the exercise I wanted and needed. Less time spent for the same result.
Problem 1: The mower was large and I was way out of shape. Pushing that big machine across my thick grass and around the tree trunks required a lot of pushing. One neighbor stopped by to tell me that I should not be mowing the lawn myself. Her son would be glad to do it for $95.00 per month. And she left a phone number for me to call.
A second neighbor watched me push and push and push, day-after-day. Finally, he offered to mow the lawn for free. In passing, he said, “Where is the belt that turns the wheels?” “The belt?” I responded. “I don’t think it has a belt.” He turned the mower on its side and looked for a belt. Nada. Nit. Nil. None. “It has to have some way to turn those wheels,” he said as he examined the mower closely. And he found a yellow lever–that turned the wheels! Seems the machine was self-propelled! Duh!
Problem 2: After 6 weeks, the mower stopped. I checked the gas level. I checked the oil. I discovered that a wire connecting to the key was severed. I cleaned the machine. I lubricated the blade. And I re-read the manual which began every paragraph with CAUTION! WARNING! ALERT! (You know the old advice, when all else fails, read the directions.) Nothing I did helped.
So I called my son, Richard. Most farmers are self-taught mechanics. And he stopped by on his way home for lunch. He checked everything and read the manual. He repaired the broken wire and I can start the machine with the key.
Together we decided that it had to be the spark-plug. My 1999 GMC truck has its original spark-plugs! Why would only 6 weeks of mowing use up a spark-plug?
Richard showed me how to remove the plug–and it was carbon-black!
Off I went to Car Quest for new spark-plugs. And the first thing the clerk said to me was, “This is a filtered plug. Do you have a radio attached to your mower?” “Why would I attach a radio to my mower?” “Filtered spark-plugs are used so they do not interfere with a radio or other electronic device. They don’t last as long. And I don’t recommend that you use them.”
The factory installed a filtered spark-plug. So I bought three, new, regular plugs. When I installed the new plug, the mower took off like lightning!
Now I buzz around my 1/4 acre in two sessions instead of six.
My lawn mower and your genealogy:
Newly-toned muscles. Stronger arms and legs with longer, firmer muscles . Able to take a deep breath with a single effort. I am a Lean, Mean, Genealogy Machine!
My neighbors still stop by with offers to help with my massive lawn. I just smile and keep mowing. I can even manage the collection bag full of newly-mowed grass, emptying it myself. I am a Lean, Mean, Genealogy Machine!
And all the favorable goodies that circulate through my brain from the exercise are generating new, powerful search strategies. Strategies I can apply to your genealogy questions and your long-lost ancestors–for more effective research answers.
What a great summer it has been. A very hot, great summer.
Your favorite Lean, Mean Genealogy Machine, Arlene Eakle http://www.arleneeakle.com
PS This Genealogy News Sheet is an extension of my values, beliefs, genealogy strategies, and research experiences. Values and strategies that I hope you, gentle readers, will also enjoy, connect deeply with, and discover a kindred spirit. I’m confident that to change it, would leave little appeal for you and would cease to be as enjoyable for me. Your emails and letters over these past months assures me that you both enjoy each newsletter and benefit from the successful research tips I share with you.
PPS Stay tuned! You get a picture next time–me and my webmaster. I am standing and she is sitting. We are the same height! This picture was taken at the end of June 2008. I may be Lean and Mean; I am still short!
PPSS I have watched New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast cope with Hurricane Gustav. What a remarkable change from the response to Katrina–and what hope this gives us all for Homeland Security. Bravo!
arlene Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:54:36 +0000
************
My dear hubby and I are beginning to house hunt now. Our baby [24 year old daughter] is moving back home the end of October. We've been living in a tiny trailer to help assist with my parents who live with my sister. They are stable, and there's really no room for a third person here, so we are looking for a house.
I am going to keep this article, put it in the "MAY" section of my 2009 calendar, and then bring it out next May and put it on my refrigerator. I found this quite the inspiration for getting "Lean and Mean"!
cbh
This summer, I decided to buy a lawn mower. I have 1/4 acre of lawn and large, very large elm and ash trees. It costs a minimum of $160.00 per month to have a lawn service mow the lawn. That is just the mowing. To water the lawn costs a minimum of $160.00 per month. That is just the water on the lawn and the trees. So I figured if I got a lawn mower and mowed it myself, I could pay for the water to keep it green.
I also reasoned that if I walked behind the mower all summer, I would not have to walk on the treadmill and I would get the exercise I wanted and needed. Less time spent for the same result.
Problem 1: The mower was large and I was way out of shape. Pushing that big machine across my thick grass and around the tree trunks required a lot of pushing. One neighbor stopped by to tell me that I should not be mowing the lawn myself. Her son would be glad to do it for $95.00 per month. And she left a phone number for me to call.
A second neighbor watched me push and push and push, day-after-day. Finally, he offered to mow the lawn for free. In passing, he said, “Where is the belt that turns the wheels?” “The belt?” I responded. “I don’t think it has a belt.” He turned the mower on its side and looked for a belt. Nada. Nit. Nil. None. “It has to have some way to turn those wheels,” he said as he examined the mower closely. And he found a yellow lever–that turned the wheels! Seems the machine was self-propelled! Duh!
Problem 2: After 6 weeks, the mower stopped. I checked the gas level. I checked the oil. I discovered that a wire connecting to the key was severed. I cleaned the machine. I lubricated the blade. And I re-read the manual which began every paragraph with CAUTION! WARNING! ALERT! (You know the old advice, when all else fails, read the directions.) Nothing I did helped.
So I called my son, Richard. Most farmers are self-taught mechanics. And he stopped by on his way home for lunch. He checked everything and read the manual. He repaired the broken wire and I can start the machine with the key.
Together we decided that it had to be the spark-plug. My 1999 GMC truck has its original spark-plugs! Why would only 6 weeks of mowing use up a spark-plug?
Richard showed me how to remove the plug–and it was carbon-black!
Off I went to Car Quest for new spark-plugs. And the first thing the clerk said to me was, “This is a filtered plug. Do you have a radio attached to your mower?” “Why would I attach a radio to my mower?” “Filtered spark-plugs are used so they do not interfere with a radio or other electronic device. They don’t last as long. And I don’t recommend that you use them.”
The factory installed a filtered spark-plug. So I bought three, new, regular plugs. When I installed the new plug, the mower took off like lightning!
Now I buzz around my 1/4 acre in two sessions instead of six.
My lawn mower and your genealogy:
Newly-toned muscles. Stronger arms and legs with longer, firmer muscles . Able to take a deep breath with a single effort. I am a Lean, Mean, Genealogy Machine!
My neighbors still stop by with offers to help with my massive lawn. I just smile and keep mowing. I can even manage the collection bag full of newly-mowed grass, emptying it myself. I am a Lean, Mean, Genealogy Machine!
And all the favorable goodies that circulate through my brain from the exercise are generating new, powerful search strategies. Strategies I can apply to your genealogy questions and your long-lost ancestors–for more effective research answers.
What a great summer it has been. A very hot, great summer.
Your favorite Lean, Mean Genealogy Machine, Arlene Eakle http://www.arleneeakle.com
PS This Genealogy News Sheet is an extension of my values, beliefs, genealogy strategies, and research experiences. Values and strategies that I hope you, gentle readers, will also enjoy, connect deeply with, and discover a kindred spirit. I’m confident that to change it, would leave little appeal for you and would cease to be as enjoyable for me. Your emails and letters over these past months assures me that you both enjoy each newsletter and benefit from the successful research tips I share with you.
PPS Stay tuned! You get a picture next time–me and my webmaster. I am standing and she is sitting. We are the same height! This picture was taken at the end of June 2008. I may be Lean and Mean; I am still short!
PPSS I have watched New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast cope with Hurricane Gustav. What a remarkable change from the response to Katrina–and what hope this gives us all for Homeland Security. Bravo!
arlene Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:54:36 +0000
************
My dear hubby and I are beginning to house hunt now. Our baby [24 year old daughter] is moving back home the end of October. We've been living in a tiny trailer to help assist with my parents who live with my sister. They are stable, and there's really no room for a third person here, so we are looking for a house.
I am going to keep this article, put it in the "MAY" section of my 2009 calendar, and then bring it out next May and put it on my refrigerator. I found this quite the inspiration for getting "Lean and Mean"!
cbh
NGS 2007 & 2008 Conferences Available on CD
Genealogy Lectures Available on CD ROM
If you were unable to attend the NGS conference in Kansas City, 14-17 May 2008, you will be happy to know that over 120 lectures were recorded and can be purchased on CD ROM for $12 each plus shipping. Lectures are available via a link, "Lectures from NGS Conference in Kansas City available for purchase on CD ROM," on the NGS website at http://ngsgenealogy.org. by scrolling down the home page to "2008 NGS CONFERENCE." This is an opportunity to hear genealogical experts discuss topics that will help you in your family research. Listed on the website is each speaker by last name, as well as the lecture track and title of each talk.
Optionally, you may access the JAMB-Inc. website directly at www.jamb-inc.com. Also included on the website are over 100 lectures from the 2007 NGS Conference in the States held in Richmond, Virginia. The tracks and topics vary for each conference.
**************
cbh
If you were unable to attend the NGS conference in Kansas City, 14-17 May 2008, you will be happy to know that over 120 lectures were recorded and can be purchased on CD ROM for $12 each plus shipping. Lectures are available via a link, "Lectures from NGS Conference in Kansas City available for purchase on CD ROM," on the NGS website at http://ngsgenealogy.org. by scrolling down the home page to "2008 NGS CONFERENCE." This is an opportunity to hear genealogical experts discuss topics that will help you in your family research. Listed on the website is each speaker by last name, as well as the lecture track and title of each talk.
Optionally, you may access the JAMB-Inc. website directly at www.jamb-inc.com. Also included on the website are over 100 lectures from the 2007 NGS Conference in the States held in Richmond, Virginia. The tracks and topics vary for each conference.
**************
cbh
Cambridge American Cemetery
From "Upfront With NGS" for Sept. 1, 2008 comes the following:
England’s Cambridge American Cemetery by Jan Alpert, NGS President On a recent trip to Essex County, England, with the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Great Migration Tour, I learned of a new World War II record source. Just outside of Cambridge, England, is the Cambridge American Cemetery. The American Battle Monuments Commission, which was created by a law enacted in 1923 for commemorating the services of the United States Armed Forces, established this 30-acre cemetery. Donated by the University of Cambridge in 1944, it is the only American World War II cemetery in the British Isles.
The memorial includes a series of maps that display the major military operations against Germany and Japan during the war, as well as a display of the various medals that are awarded in the Armed Services.
The 3,810 headstones include soldiers who served between 1941 and 1945 and were temporarily interred in England or Northern Ireland, who died in invasions in North Africa and France, or whose bodies were found in the north Atlantic but never identified. A wall lists the names by military unit, including Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, then alphabetically lists more than 5,000 men and women missing in action, lost, or buried at sea. The website contains much more information at http://www.abmc.gov. If you have an ancestor who died in or around the British Isles, the Cambridge American Cemetery is worth a further look.
**************
cbh
England’s Cambridge American Cemetery by Jan Alpert, NGS President On a recent trip to Essex County, England, with the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Great Migration Tour, I learned of a new World War II record source. Just outside of Cambridge, England, is the Cambridge American Cemetery. The American Battle Monuments Commission, which was created by a law enacted in 1923 for commemorating the services of the United States Armed Forces, established this 30-acre cemetery. Donated by the University of Cambridge in 1944, it is the only American World War II cemetery in the British Isles.
The memorial includes a series of maps that display the major military operations against Germany and Japan during the war, as well as a display of the various medals that are awarded in the Armed Services.
The 3,810 headstones include soldiers who served between 1941 and 1945 and were temporarily interred in England or Northern Ireland, who died in invasions in North Africa and France, or whose bodies were found in the north Atlantic but never identified. A wall lists the names by military unit, including Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, then alphabetically lists more than 5,000 men and women missing in action, lost, or buried at sea. The website contains much more information at http://www.abmc.gov. If you have an ancestor who died in or around the British Isles, the Cambridge American Cemetery is worth a further look.
**************
cbh
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