Great news! The following was written by Megan Smolenyak:

Dear RootsTelevision.com Viewer,

OK, you convinced me! After getting inundated with emails, tweets, and Facebook postings and messages about the closing of RootsTelevision.com (RTV), I've decided to keep it going. I honestly had no clue how valued it was by the genealogical community, and I agree with the many of you who pointed out that it serves a somewhat different purpose than the prime time programming that's on TV at present (much as I've been enjoying that!). At the same time, I think many had not realized that RTV is a one-person company, but one that's not inexpensive to provide.

Thanks very much to all you who reached out to share your thoughts and experiences. Although I haven't been able to respond to all of you, I hope you realize that your comments made all the difference in the world. Thanks also to the more than 20 individuals, organizations and companies that contacted me to explore the notion of adopting RTV. It's refreshing to know how many were willing to step in and help. I also need to thank Brightcove, the video platform used by RTV, for working with me to find viable solutions.

I should probably clarify one point of confusion. Many were under the impression that even if RootsTelevision.com closed down, the video archive would remain. Quite a few also wrote asking me to send DVDs of the videos, but with more than 700 videos on the site, popping them on a DVD is not an alternative. Hosting and streaming this wide array of videos is one of the most costly aspects, and there are rights issues involved as well, so if RTV had gone, so would have all the videos.

That's why I surveyed genealogists on Twitter and Facebook, asking whether you would be willing to tolerate commercials if it would help preserve RootsTelevision.com. I was beyond relieved how lopsided the response was! So please be aware that I will be adding commercials to help pay the bills. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to customize them, but I'll experiment with ways to make them as painless as possible. I'd also greatly appreciate it if you let me know of any people, companies or organizations that would be interested in running banners ads on RTV. Boston University and Family Tree DNA have both helped support RTV in the past by sponsoring ads, and more of the same would help ensure that the doors of RTV stay open in the future!

Og and I are going to do a little tinkering under the hood at RTV, so you'll see fewer new videos for a while, but please use that time to explore the hundreds of videos that are already there. Please also consider uploading your own videos (podcasters welcome!) through RootsTube (http://rootstelevision.com/submit_rootstube.php) and let us know of any great genealogical videos you come across in your online travels. If we see something we like, we'll do our best to secure permission to share the video on RootsTelevision.com, so you can have the widest, high quality viewing selection possible all in one place.

And finally, I would ask that you spread the word to your friends, relatives, libraries, and genealogical societies that the lights are still on at RootsTelevision.com! The more viewers, the better – so watch often!

Thanks again,
Megan

P.S. Be sure to follow us online for new videos, announcements and special events:

Megan on Twitter - http://twitter.com/megansmolenyak
Megan on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/megansmolenyak
RTV on Twitter - http://twitter.com/rootstelevision
RTV on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/rootstv

Tony Burroughs is a well-known professional genealogist, college professor, writer, lecturer, television personality, and all-around nice guy. He is best known as an expert in Black genealogy but that statement ignores his many other talents. Now Tony is giving a free genealogy seminar for Ancestry.com on the web (webinar).

The webinar (or seminar, if you prefer) is entitled, Avoid Traps in African American Genealogy. The webinar's announcement states:

Even the most seasoned genealogist can make mistakes, especially when it comes to the complexities of African American research. World-renowned genealogy expert Tony Burroughs has taken wrong paths in his decades of research, but has discovered ways to avoid some common missteps. Benefit from his unique wisdom and experience with Ancestry.com as we present Avoid Traps in African American Genealogy. This free webinar offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to journey with one of the world’s foremost genealogists and find success as you search for your Black roots.

The webinar is this Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 8pm EST, 7pm CST, 6 pm MST, and 5 PM PST.

This is a FREE webinar. Audience members may arrive 15 minutes before scheduled webinars. The webinar will also be archived and will be available for watching at most any time.

You can learn more at http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Webinars.aspx.

Prime Minister John Key says any moves to merge government departments are driven by efficiency, not ideology. Mr Key says proposals to merge a number of government agencies will be considered by the Cabinet business committee on Monday night, before going to the full Cabinet next week.

The proposals are understood to include merging the National Library and National Archives into the Department of Internal Affairs as well as several other agencies.

You can read more on the Radio New Zealand News web site at http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/03/08/1247f7b8fbbd and at Scoop at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1003/S00120.htm.

The following announcement was written by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- On Wednesday, April 14, at 7 p.m., the National Archives will host Megan Smolenyak, author of Who do You Think You Are?, a comprehensive guide for conducting genealogical research and the official tie-in to the NBC show of the same name that traces the genealogy of a famous person. Smolenyak, chief family historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com, will be joined by Andrew Carroll, editor of the New York Times bestsellers War Letters and Behind the Lines.

This event is free and open to the public and will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building, which is fully accessible. A book signing of Who Do You Think You Are? will follow the program, and the book is available at a discount from the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) before and during the event. The program is presented in partnership with the National Archives Sixth Annual Genealogy Fair, to be held April 14-15th, 2010.  The Genealogy Fair is free and open to the public, and presented in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives.

The National Archives Building is located on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.  Winter hours (through March 14) are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Spring hours (March 15 through Labor Day) are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. Admission is free, and the building is fully accessible.  Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station.  To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call (202) 357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event. To verify the date and times of the programs, view the Calendar of Events online at www.archives.gov.

Background:  National Archives staff in Washington, D.C., and New York City worked closely with the producers and researchers of this genealogy-based program for over a year to identify National Archives documents that help tell the story of famous Americans featured on the programs. 

National Archives records are an abundant resource for genealogical research. "Who Do You Think You Are?" features many such records – including pension applications, census schedules, and Freedmen's Bureau records – that are used by thousands of researchers every year.  A new National Archives web page links to some of the most popular records of genealogical interest, including records used in some of the shows (http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/topics/who-do-you-think-you-are.html).

The web page also includes information about how to begin genealogy research.  Interested viewers can also email questions to National Archives genealogy experts at WhoDo@archives.gov.

NOTE: You can read my review of this book at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/03/us-version-of-who-do-you-think-you-are-the-book.html.

If this proves to be true, it could again end the use of mitochondrial DNA for genealogy:

The mitochondrial genome–long thought to be nearly identical in every cell in the human body–actually varies to a surprising degree, according to new research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists. The research shows that different forms of the mitochondrial genome can be present in different organs from the same individual, and that these forms probably arise during embryonic development.

You can read more in Health News Digest at http://tinyurl.com/yadktpy

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

FamilySearch Indexing Update: Civil and church record projects added for Argentina, Canada, France, Peru, and the UK

8 March 2010

FamilySearch Indexers have a wide variety of records to choose from this week. Civil and church records are available from Argentina, Canada, France, Peru, and the United Kingdom. Six different groups of U.S. census records are also ready to be indexed.

New Projects

• Argentina, Cordoba—Registros Parroquiales, 1722–1924 [Parte B]
• Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986 [Part 4]
• Canada, New Brunswick—Births, 1810–1906
• France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis—Registres Paroissiaux, 1722–1909 (In partnership with Cercle Généalogique du Finistere)
• Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1887–1921 [Parte A]
• U.K., Bristol—Non-Conformist Registers, Pre-1900 [Part A]
• U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1754–1900 [Part 1C]
• U.S., Indiana, Clay County—Marriages, 1811–1959
• U.S., Michigan—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Military—1920 Federal Census
• U.S., Minnesota—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Montana—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Puerto Rico—1920 Censo Federal
• U.S., South Dakota—1945 State Census [Part A]

(See the chart below for a complete list and current status of all indexing projects.)

Recently Completed Projects

(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process in preparation for future publication.)

• België, Mechelen—Overlijdens Registers, 1851–1900
• Deutschland, Brandenburg—Kirchenbücher, 1789–1875
• Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia - Atti di Morte, 1809–1936 [Parte A]
• Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1910–1930 [Parte 4]
• U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1754-1900 [Part 1A]
• U.S., Guam and Samoa—1920 Federal Census
• U.S., Indiana—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Iowa—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Kentucky—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Louisiana—1910 Federal Census
• U.S., Virgin Islands—1920 Federal Census

These projects will be searchable online at pilot.familysearch.org in the near future.

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Balvanera—Registros Parroquiales, 1833–1934 [Parte A] Spanish 83% Argentina, Balvanera—Registros Parroquiales, 1833–1934 [Parte B] Spanish 3% Argentina, Cordoba—Registros Parroquiales, 1722–1924 [Parte B] Spanish (New) Argentina, Santa Fe—Registros Parroquiales, 1634–1926 [Parte A] Spanish 18% Argentina, Santa Fe—Registros Parroquiales, 1634–1926 [Parte B] Spanish 8% Belgium, Antwerp—Foreigners Index, 1840–1930 English 85% Brasil, Pernambuco, Recife—Registro Civil, 1900–1920 Portuguese 1% Brasil, Rio de Janeiro—Matrimonios, 1900–1910 [Piloto] Portuguese 26% Canada, British Columbia—Deaths, 1872–1986 [Part 4] English (New) Canada, New Brunswick—Births, 1810–1906 English (New) Canada, Québec, Montreal—Régistres Paroissiaux, 1800–1900 French 14% ?eská republika, Litom??ice—Matriky, 1552-1905 [?ást 1] German 22% Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 2A] Spanish 19% Chile, Concepción—Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 2B] Spanish 4% Colombia, Bucaramanga—Registros Parroquiales, 1649–1959 Spanish 1% Colombia, Marinilla—Registros Parroquiales, 1815–1959 Spanish 18% Deutschland, Baden, Achern—Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 [Part A] German 51% Deutschland, Baden, Achern—Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 [Part B] German 4% Deutschland, Mecklenburg—Volkszählung, 1890 [Div 39–69] German 42% España, Avila, Navalmoral—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 Spanish 77% España, Lugo—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] Spanish 33% España, Malaga—Registros Civiles, 1846–1870 Spanish 10% France, Cherbourg—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 French 11% France, Coutances—Registres Paroissiaux 1802–1907 French 6% France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche, 1792–1906 French 90% France, Paris—Registres Protestants, 1612–1906 [Partie C] French 53% France, Saint-Lo—Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 French 30% Guatemala, Huehuetenango y San Marcos—Registros Civiles, 1877–1900 Spanish 38% Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia—Atti di Morte, 1809–1936 [Parte B] Italian 2% Jamaica—Civil Births, 1878–1899 [Part A] English 49% Mexico, DF—Registros Parroquiales, 1898–1933 [Parte 3] Spanish 71% Mexico, Jalisco—1930 Federal Censo Spanish 57% Mexico, Michoacan—1930 Federal Censo Spanish 34% Mexico, Nuevo Leon—1930 Federal Censo Spanish 54% New Zealand—Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 English 83% Nicaragua, Managua—Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 [Parte 1] Spanish 68% Perú, Lima—Registros Civiles, 1887–1921 [Parte A] Spanish (New) Russland, Sankt Petersburg—Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 German 2% South Africa, Cape Province—Church Records, 1660–1970 English 28% Sverige, Södermanland—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] Swedish 6% Sverige, Uppsala—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] Swedish 28% Sverige, Örebro—Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] Swedish 1% U.K., Bristol—Non-Conformist Registers, Pre-1900 [Part A] English (New) U.K., Bristol—Parish Registers, 1837–1900 [Part B] English 53% U.K., Cheshire—Parish Records, 1538–1850 [Part 2] English/Old English 85% U.K., Essex—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part 1] English 2% U.K., Warwickshire—Parish Registers, 1754–1900 [Part 1C] English (New) U.S., Florida—1910 Federal Census English 95% U.S., Georgia—1910 Federal Census English 74% U.S., Hawaii—1920 Federal Census English 35% U.S., Indiana, Clark County—Marriages, 1811–1959 English 93% U.S., Indiana, Clay County—Marriages, 1811–1959 English (New) U.S., Indiana, Dubois County—Marriages, 1811–1959 English 69% U.S., Indiana, Harrison County—Marriages, 1811–1959 English 93% U.S., Maryland—1910 Federal Census English 26% U.S., Massachusetts—1910 Federal Census English 8% U.S., Michigan—1910 Federal Census English (New) U.S., Military—1920 Federal Census English (New) U.S., Minnesota—1910 Federal Census English (New) U.S., Montana—1910 Federal Census English (New) U.S., Puerto Rico—1920 Censo Federal English (New) U.S., Rhode Island—1935 State Census English 72% U.S., South Dakota—1945 State Census [Part A] English (New) U.S., Tennessee—County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part A] English 19% Venezuela, Mérida—Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 2] Spanish 5% Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 German 8% ???????, ????—??????????? ?????, 1840–1842 Russian 77%

(*Percentage refers to a specific portion of a larger project.)

Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Australia, Victoria—Probate Records, 1853–1989 English 84% België—Burgerlijke Stand, 1851-1900 [Deel B] Dutch 27% Belgique—Registres Civile, 1851–1900 [Partie A] French 7% Canada, Ontario, Toronto—Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935 English 5% Deutschland, Westfalen, Minden—Volkszählung, 1880–1900 German 1% España, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta—Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 Spanish 31% France, Quimper et Leon—Registres Paroissiaux, 1772–1909 [Part 1] French 69% France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis—Registres Paroissiaux, 1722–1909 French (New) Norway—1875 Census [Part 1] Norwegian 95% Norway—1875 Census [Part B] Norwegian 2% Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan—Registros Parroquiales, 1615–1982 Spanish 9% U.K., Norfolk—Parish Registers, 1538–1900 English 1% U.S., Ohio—Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 3] English 3% U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Birth Registers, 1890–1908 English 7% U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County—Death Registers, 1848–1940 English 30%

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

If I were in charge of changing genealogical history, I'd make sure that all census enumerators, doctors, court recorders, witnesses, informants, priests, and others each consulted with each other before recording a person's information. They'd all agree on the spelling... Geoff Rasmussen

July 15-17, 2010 in Lufkin, Texas

To all Plus Edition subscribers:

The weekly Plus Edition newsletter was sent to your e-mail address a short time ago. It should have arrived by now. If you have not yet seen it in your in-box, check your spam folder. If it is not there, please contact your e-mail provider to see why it was blocked. This week's entire Plus Edition newsletter is also available at: http://www.eogn.com/wp/thisweek.htm. You can always read it there, regardless of what your email provider does to your in-box.

Here are the articles in this week's Plus Edition newsletter:

  - (+) A Windows XP Computer in Your Shirt Pocket
 - (+) How to Recover Data from a Dead PC
 - Upcoming Events
 - I Finally Watched "Who Do You Think You Are?"
 - U.S. version of Who Do You Think You Are? - the Book
 - "Who Do You Think You Are?" Takes 2nd Place
 - "Who Do You Think You Are?" - A Contrarian View
 - FamViewer Version 2.2 for iPhone and iPod Touch
 - GRO to Increase Fees
 - Georgia to Digitize Historical Records
 - Library of Michigan to Drop Genealogy and Federal Documents
 - Maine to Close Birth, Marriage Records
 - So Why Lock Up the Birth Records?
 - Men Cited for Assaulting Census Workers in Maine
 - Popular Science Archives Online
 - Genealogical Atlases from National Geographic
 - Final Days of the British Empire to be Shown Online
 - 1930 US Census Available Free of Charge on the Internet Archive
 - Deceased Online Adds Nearly a Quarter Million Burial and Cremation Records
 - National Archives Hosts 6th Genealogy Fair, April 14-15, 2010
 - Beware the "Census Form" You Receive
 - Census Scam Alert
 - Books in the Age of the iPad
 - Genealogical Tourism Redefining Leisure Travel Market
 - Strathclyde University and IHGS Genealogy Courses
 - Frank R. Binette, R.I.P.
 - Dorothea Kratzer Named Outstanding Woman of Clinton County, Ohio
 - Help! The Faerie Folk Hid My Ancestors!
 - 2010 British Institute, Salt Lake City, October 4-8
 - Ulster Historical Foundation Lecture Programme March 2010
 - Don't Press F1!
 - Another Rogue Program: Security Essentials 2010
 - I Want to Live in Google
 - I Don't Store Credit Card Information
 - New Layout for Newsletter Site
 - Never Miss a Plus Edition Newsletter

This week's Plus Edition newsletter is 54 pages long! Where else will you find this much genealogy news without advertising PER WEEK?

Articles marked with a Plus Sign (+) are for the exclusive use of Plus Edition subscribers.

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The following announcement was written by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

WASHINGTON, March 3

WHAT:  The National Archives will host its sixth annual Genealogy Fair: The World of Genealogy on April 14 and 15, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  This year's two-day program will showcase the diversity of Federal records located at the National Archives as resources for family history research.  Speakers include National Archives staff, historians, and genealogy professionals. The fair will provide information and guidance for experienced genealogy professionals and novices alike. The fair is free and open to the public, and presented in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives.

Sessions include workshops on records relating to minority and ethnic groups including African Americans, Chinese, German, Irish, Japanese, Native Americans, and women, as well as a session on DNA genealogy testing, and an evening program on the new genealogy-based TV series Who Do You Think You Are?  National Archives staff will demonstrate how to use databases including the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) and Access to Archival Databases (AAD).  Staff at the "Help! I'm Stuck" table will be available to assist researchers. For a full schedule of lectures and demonstrations, see:  http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/know-your-records/genealogy-fair.

WHEN:  Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, April 14, 9 a.m., Pennsylvania Avenue entrance  Archivist of the United States, David S. Ferriero, will cut the ribbon to open the fair. 

Genealogy Fair: Wednesday and Thursday, April 14-15, 2010, 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. 

WHERE:  National Archives Research Center Lobby and Pennsylvania Avenue Plaza.  National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC. Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Fair attendees will be given buttons at the Welcome Tent allowing entrance to the building. Government-issued photo ID or student ID is required to enter the building otherwise.

The closest Metro stop is the Archives/Navy Memorial stop on the Yellow and Green lines. The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) please e-mail reservations.nwe@nara.gov or call 202 357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event.

WHO:  Speakers include historian at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Zack Wilske; professional genealogists Susannah Brooks, Elizabeth K. Kerstens, Marie V. Melchiori, and Thomas Shawker M.D.; and National Archives experts Patrick Connelly, Rebecca Crawford, Damani Davis, John Deeben, Claire P. Kluskens, Trevor Plante, Constance Potter, Mary Frances Ronan, Rebecca Sharp, Katherine Vollen, and Reginald Washington.  Guest exhibitors include the Library of Congress, Washington DC Family History Center, FamilySearch, Federation of Genealogical Societies, and local county genealogical societies. 

Background:  The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records of the Federal government. These include records of interest to genealogists, such as pension files, census and Freedmen's Bureau materials. For information on National Archives holdings see www.archives.gov.

The following article was written by and is copyright by Dick Eastman.

NOTE: This article does not contain any genealogy information although it can retrieve such information. For instance, a friend of mine recently suffered a PC failure. She was left with a PC that would not even boot Windows. She told me that she had lost her genealogy information as a result. I replied, "Not so. You can probably recover that data with just a little bit of work." She gave me her PC and, within a couple of hours, I retrieved all of her genealogy information, along with her checkbook data, income tax records, correspondence, and much more. I thought I would share the recovery techniques with you.

Many people believe that, when a computer dies and will not boot any more, all data is lost forever. They assume that all the files on the hard drive have disappeared and that nothing can be done about it. In some situations, that may be true. However, after repairing many computers over the past 40+ years (starting long before the invention of the PC), I can assure you that data can be recovered in a high percentage of computer failures.

The problem may be a hardware failure or a software failure. First let's look at hardware failures.

The remainder of this article is for Plus Edition subscribers only.

If you have a Plus Edition user ID and password, you can read the full article right now at no additional charge in this web site's Plus Edition at http://eogn.com/wp/?p=8635. This article will remain online for several weeks.

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For more information about subscribing to the Plus Edition of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, visit http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/plusedition.html.

Two men in Maine face charges in separate incidents for allegedly assaulting two women who were working for the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Washington County Sheriff's Department said 61-year-old Wesley Storer of Bar Harbor was charged last Monday for allegedly ripping an identification badge off a 50-year-old census worker's lanyard and preventing her from leaving an apartment building he owns in Harrington.

Police told the Bangor Daily News that 53-year-old James Swift of Brooksville was summoned Friday for allegedly assaulting a 39-year-old woman. Police said Swift is accused of grabbing the woman by the wrist and pushing her backward while she was preparing to leave Census papers on his door.

The results are in: the premiere of “Who Do You Think You Are?” was the second most popular NBC television show on Friday evening, only a tenth of a rating point behind “Dateline NBC” which followed.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” had 6.9 million viewers overall while “Dateline NBC” had 7.2 million viewers overall. The information was provided by Nielsen Media Research.

I'd say that having 6.9 million viewers watching a program about genealogy was a success!

You can read more details and numbers at http://www.rbr.com/tv-cable/tv-cable_ratings/22037.html.

Popular Science magazine has been published for 137 years. Now, every issue ever produced has been scanned and posted the archives at their website, at no charge.

Each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements.

While it is a great resource for science buffs, it also will appeal to genealogists and historians. Those advertisements will provide great insight into changing life styles over the years. Want to see what great-grandpa and great-grandma used to cook their food or to heat the house? You probably will find ads and even pictures of these "conveniences" online at the Popular Science magazine web site. Start at http://www.popsci.com/announcements/article/2010-03/new-browse-137-years-popsci-archive-free.

This sounds like a winner for genealogy in the classroom. National Geographic’s Genealogical Atlases lesson plan for students in grades 3-5 asks students to “interview their parents or other relatives about what it was like where they grew up." Students then utilize maps found online to make their own “genealogical atlases” showing their family ancestry.

Genealogical Atlases lesson plans may be found at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g35/genealogical.html.

That's in Kansas.

Topeka, Kansas, or at least the city that used to be called Topeka, has a new name: Google. On Monday, Topeka’s 79-year-old mayor, Bill Bunten, signed a proclamation to temporarily call the city “Google” in hopes of convincing Google to test its “Fiber For Communities” ultrafast Internet connection program in Topeka. Google, I mean.

For "Fiber for Communities," Google will test ultra-high-speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Topeka made its non-official name change by proclamation this week in an effort to bring particular attention to its "Fiber for Communities" application, which it submitted in February.

"It's just fun. We're having a good time of [the name change,]" said Mayor Bill Bunten. He also told CNN that the name change was definitely not permanent. "We are very proud of our city, and Topeka is an Indian word, which means 'a good place to grow potatoes.' We're not going to change that."

100 times faster than any present in-home Internet connection? I'd move to Topeka... uh, Google.

You can read Topeka's name change proclamation at http://www.topeka.org/googleks.shtml or watch a video about Google Fiber for Communities at http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi.

I am probably the only genealogist in America who did not watch Who Do You Think You Are? when it aired last night. I had a conflict that I could not avoid and wasn't near a television set at the time the program was broadcast. However, I did "Tivo" it. Actually, I used a different brand of video disk recorder, not a Tivo, but that's another story for another time. In any case, I did watch the program this morning and came away with several impressions.

In short, I liked the program! I had the "advantage" of having read many comments posted overnight about the program before I had a chance to see it. I already knew some of the important things to look for. I have to say that I found the first episode to be both an entertaining program as well as an excellent example of "how to search your family tree the proper way."

If you did not see the program last night and did not "Tivo" it, you can watch the first episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on the web at http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/video/episodes/#apl=true,

Although obviously staged and rehearsed in advance, we did see Sarah Jessica Parker start her genealogy journey under the guidance of trained and experienced professional genealogists and historians. The rest of us typically don't have such good "teachers," but we can do well by emulating the examples shown in this first episode.

I especially like the insight provided into Sarah Jessica Parker's personal life: she has eight siblings, including one who is an actor. She started with discussions with her actor-brother speculating what might be found. That was followed by a visit to their mother to see what their oldest living relative (the mother) knew and to look at old family photographs. Sarah then consulted knowledgeable professionals to push backwards in time and to learn more.

These trained professionals started by going online and by looking at microfilm to see what was available. Then they sent Sarah to the locations of the original records to look at numerous original documents and to consult with local experts who possess specialized knowledge about the history that Sarah needed to learn. In several cases, Sarah Jessica Parker went to the locations where her ancestors lived and worked. She walked the same ground that her ancestors walked, and she tried to imagine what life was like in those days.

I'd suggest that this is an excellent example for all of us to follow: start with whatever records you can find quickly and easily, then follow the leads they provide to go back to the original records to find the details. If possible, travel to the places your ancestors lived to learn what happened to them during their lives. Most of all, consult with the experts who have specialized knowledge. Indeed, the television program did show the methods of "doing genealogy the right way."

I may be biased, but, to me, the real heroes and heroines of the show were Natalie Cottrell, Stephen Aron, Jon McCabe, Josh Taylor, Elaine Grubin, and Mary Beth Norton. They are the professional genealogists and historians who provided on-camera guidance to Sarah Jessica Parker. They were the ones who demonstrated correct genealogy research techniques. I suspect there were many more experts who provided assistance behind the scenes as well but we will probably never learn all their names.

It was nice to see the New England Historic Genealogical Society mentioned prominently. That's a place where I have spent many hours researching my own ancestry, including one family that lived in Salem during the witchcraft hysteria.

The program that aired last night obviously had been scripted and rehearsed in order to look good when the cameras were rolling. Nonetheless, a few million people watched last night and saw an excellent example of how to research your family tree the right way: start by interviewing your oldest living relatives, then go to the books, microfilm, and online resources to learn much more. Finally, if you have the means to do so, go to the locations where your ancestors lived, and look at original records, walk in the places where your ancestors walked, and use your imagination to visualize what their lives were like.

The only significant criticism I can think of is that this program displayed the research of one "thread" up the family tree. That is, it showed only one ancestral line. In fact, Sarah Jessica Parker has two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, and so on and so forth. In other words, she is just like the rest of us.

The program went back 380 years to the 1630s, and yet only mentioned this one line. Thousands of Sarah Jessica Parker's ancestors were never mentioned at all. Obviously, the program's producers could not trace all her ancestry in a 60-minute program, but I think some mention should have been made that the program covers only a handful of her many, many ancestors. While we won't be seeing television programs about each and every family in her tree, I do hope that Sarah Jessica Parker becomes interested enough to trace all her other ancestors and learn the stories and hardships that many of them endured. She has a lot of stories awaiting her.

I am looking forward to next week's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? I suspect we will again see examples of researching family trees the correct way.

The Irish genealogists are coming to the USA! The following announcement was written by Ulster Historical Foundation:

With St Patrick’s Day approaching many people think about their Irish and Scots-Irish ancestry, and the Foundation’s forthcoming lecture tour in the USA (13 to 20 March 2010) is a great opportunity to celebrate your Irish connections.

We have listed below the details for the venues of our six locations in Wayne PA, Lancaster PA, Raleigh NC, Naples FL, Lincoln NE and Bethpage, Long Island NY.

ULSTER HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
Irish and Scots Irish Genealogy Lecture Tour
13 to 20 March 2010

Saturday, 13 March 2010 (8:30 AM to 4: 30 PM)
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Programme title:  Researching Your Irish Ancestors – The Ulster Historical Foundation

Location of programme: Embassy Suites, Valley Forge, PA 888 Chesterbrook Boulevard, Wayne, PA 19087

Host organisation:  The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania

Main contact:  ExecDir@genpa.org

Registration Details:  $55 Members; $60 Non-Members (includes Continental Breakfast, Buffet Lunch and Handouts)

Further information: Register online at: http://www.genpa.org/irish_registration_10.html

Sunday, 14 March 2010 (1.00 PM to 5.00 PM)
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Programme title:  Scots-Irish Seminar and Workshop

Location of programme: Lancaster County Historical Society, 230 North President Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603

Host organisation:  Lancaster County Historical Society

Main contact:  Tel: (717) 392-4633 info@lancasterhistory.org

Registration Details:  $50.00/person for non-members, and $45.00/person for members. There is a maximum number of 30 attendees. Short snack break included in price.

Further information: Register online at: http://www.lancasterhistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=53

Monday, 15 March 2010. (1.00 PM to 5.00 PM)
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Programme title:  Our Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestors

Location of programme: North Carolina State Archives Auditorium, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Host organisation:  North Carolina Genealogical Society

Main contact:  www.ncgenealogy.org

Registration Details:  Payment can be made by check, credit card or PayPal. Paypay at the NCGSwebsite store: http://www.ncgenealogy.org Checks payable to "North Carolina Genealogical Society". Send to: NCGS Irish & Scots-Irish Program, P. O. Box 30815, Raleigh, NC 27622-0815. Checks posted after March 10, 2010 will not be received.

Further information: See http://www.archives.ncdcr.gov for parking information

Tuesday, 16 March 2010 (8.30am to 4.30 PM)
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Programme title:  Researching your Irish and Scots- Irish Ancestors

Location of programme: 5050 Ave Maria Blvd., Ave Maria, FL 34142-9505 Ballroom and Executive Dinning Room in the Bob Thomas Student Union

Host organisation:  Ave Maria University

Main contact:  Rev. Deacon Forrest Wallace Phone 239.280.1678 forrest.wallace@avemaria.edu

Registration Details:  $20 per person. Register with the University. More details available soon.

Further information: www.avemaria.edu

Wednesday, 17 March 2010 (1.30 PM to 4.30 PM)
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Programme title:  Irish and Scots-Irish Research

Location of programme:  Southeast Community College Continuing Education Center 301 S. 68th Street Place, 4th Floor, Lincoln, NE  68510-2449

Host organisation:  Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society

Main contact:  402-437-2700, 800-828-0072 (tell the operator the name of the event – Ulster Historical Foundation Lectures)

Registration Details:  The fee for the class will be $20 per person. Register by contacting the Southeast Community College

Further information: www.southeast.edu/continuing/default.asp

Saturday, 20 March 2010 (9.30 AM to 1.00 PM)
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Programme title: 

Location of programme: Bethpage Public Library, 47 Powell Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714. Meeting room is on lower level

Host organisation:  Irish Family History Forum

Main contact:  Patricia at Glanvil3@aol.com Phone: 516 378 5619 (between 9 am - 6 pm, NY time)

Registration Details:  Admission is free. No registration.

Further information: www.ifhf.org. Parking across the street from library.  Library is within walking distance of Long Island Railroad station in Bethpage

Programme for Ulster Historical Foundation Irish genealogy lecture tour 13 to 20 March 2010. If you need any advice contact: enquiry@uhf.org.uk

The following announcement was written by the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History:

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH) is delighted to announce the British Institute (BI). The BI will be held in Salt Lake City from Monday, 4 October through Friday, 8 October 2010.

Instructors for this year’s BI will be Barbara Baker, AG, David Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA and Darris Williams, AG.

Ms. Baker will be teaching Pre-1800 Scottish Records –This course will explore lesser known records and address ways to help you break down brick walls.

Mr. Rencher’s class is a first for him. Making the Transition from Irish Church Records to Irish Land Records will be of help in extending a pedigree prior to church records.

Mr. Williams’ class Strategies for Discovering Welsh Ancestors will highlight methods for solving research questions and learning successful strategies that will provide you with ways to become a better Welsh researcher.

All classes will be taught in the morning with afternoons in the Family History Library. Instructors will be available for consultation and help.

To register or for more information, go to the Society’s Web site http://www.isbgfh.org; telephone 815.419.5715 or contact ISBGFH at PO Box 350459, Westminster CO 80035-0459.