Today is Thursday, February 9, 2012, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

• Happy blogiversary to Olive Tree Genealogy (started February 9, 2003), Talking Roots (started February 9, 2009) and Taneya’s Genealogy Blog (started February 9, 2006).

• Today is National Stop Bullying Day (US) and Read In The Bathtub Day.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Thankful Thursday – Create a post that expresses gratitude for a person (past or present), resource, family history tool or anything connected to you or your and family history that has had a positive impact on your life. This prompt has been suggested by Carolyn Murphy of Family Tree Gal and has been in use by Mary Warren of Mary’s Musings for the past year.

Thrifty Thursday – do you have some neat ways of saving money when it comes to genealogy? Have you located a bargain on some research resource or office supply? Post about it during Thrifty Thursday! This series has been suggested by Judy Webster of Queensland Genealogy.

Thriller Thursday – Are there murders, bizarre accidents or other thrilling stories among your family history? Tell us about them through words and pictures during Thriller Thursday. This is an ongoing series by Anne Kruszka at Gene Notes.

Those Places Thursday – do you often think back to places where you lived and worked at one time? What about those places where your ancestors spent time? Post about “those places” with photos and stories on Those Places Thursday. This has been an ongoing series by Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens.

Treasure Chest Thursday – create a post with the main focus being a family treasure, an heirloom or even an every-day item important to your family. A special thanks to Leslie Ann Ballou of Lost Family Treasures for suggesting Treasure Chest Thursday as a daily blogging theme!

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Anita Bath; Tombstone Tuesday – Aleta Buffet.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Thursday, February 9, 2012

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

The overnight ratings for Season 3 Episode 1 of Who Do You Think You Are? with Martin Sheen are up over at Zap 2 It – TV by the numbers and Futon Critic.

The total viewers for the episode were 6.09 million, with a 1.2 Rating and a 4 Share for the key 18-49 demographic. The episode ranked 2nd in its time slot and 4th for the overall evening ranking.

A recent Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research Report by Heath Terry, CFA which tracks the Ancestry.com stock (ACOM), notes a decrease in viewership when compared to previous season averages:

The first episode of the 3rd Season of NBC’s show Who Do You Think You Are? aired on Friday, February 3. The viewership of the episode with Martin Sheen came in at 6 mn, 4% and 6% below 2011 and 2010 averages, respectively, though the time slot was up 46% wk/wk from 4 mn for the series finale of Chuck (Exhibit 1). Total unduplicated audience in Seasons 2 and 1 was 26 mn and 13 mn.

Stay tuned.

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Who Do You Think You Are? Martin Sheen Ratings

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

Don’t forget to watch the next episode of Who Do You Think You Are? with Marisa Tomei this Friday night, February 10, 2012, at 8pm EST / 7pm CST. Here is a preview clip from Friday’s show:

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Don’t Forget To Watch Marisa Tomei on WDYTYA This Week!

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

Genealogy and Technology In A Post RootsTech World

This week our show is entitled Genealogy and Technology In A Post RootsTech World with co-host Lisa Alzo, of The Accidental Genealogist blog. Our special guests will include: DearMYRTLE of DearMYRTLE.com who will give us a recap of last week’s RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City, Utah and fill us in on the latest and hottest genealogy technology news; George G. Morgan of Aha! Seminars, Inc. and The Genealogy Guys who will discuss his book How To Do Everything Genealogy, 3^rd Edition; and Brooke Schreier Ganz, genealogist, web developer and programmer and creator of LeafSeek, as well as a winner in the recent RootsTech Developer Challenge.

How To Listen To GeneaBloggers Radio

So here is how it all works:

1. Visit the GeneaBloggers page at Blog Talk Radio.
2. Click on the Upcoming Episode entitled “Genealogy and Technology In A Post RootsTech World“
3. Then you can sign up for updates and reminders.
4. At 8:00 pm Central on Friday, February 10, 2012, listen in at the Blog Talk Radio website. The player should start automatically – you will need to turn on your computer speakers or use your headphones.
5. If you want to call in to the show and share your thoughts and comments with the host or guests, the dial-in number is +1 (213) 286-6709. You can also use your Skype account to call in – click here for instructions.
6. There will also be a chat room on that same page where you can type and interact with other listeners. [Note: you must login with Facebook or have an account at Blog Talk Radio and sign in to access the chat room!] I often take cues and suggestions from the chat room so don’t be shy!

SPECIAL: You can now find GeneaBloggers Radio archived episodes in the iTunes store! Click here to download episodes for free!

Don’t forget – GeneaBloggers Radio is about the most fun you can have with your genealogy on a Friday night!

Disclosure:  Please see Disclosure Statements for more information on my material connection with genealogy vendors and organizations.

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

GeneaBloggers Radio – Friday Night, February 10, 2012

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

Today is Wednesday, February 8, 2012, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

• Happy blogiversary to Ancestral Notes (started February 8, 2009), GeneaPress (started February 8, 2011), Le Maison Duchamp (started February 8, 2011), The Leafseeker (started February 8, 2011) and Twig In My Tree (started February 8, 2009).

• Today is Boy Scout Day (US) and Opera Day.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Wedding Wednesday – a great way to display those old wedding photos or scan wedding invitations and announcements! Suggested by Carol of Reflections from the Fence and in use by several genealogy bloggers.

Wednesday’s Child – Post photos of gravestones of children. A sad topic indeed but posts can give life to the stories of these young souls. This has been an ongoing series by Amy at Gravestoned.

Wisdom Wednesday – an alternative to Wordless Wednesday for those who just can’t post without words! Create a post in which you share words of wisdom about any number of things including weddings, marriage, children, work, and so on.  A post  could include such things as favorite sayings of grannies, superstitions, that sort of thing.  Words of wisdom should have their origins in the past and have been passed on from generation to generation. Wisdom Wednesday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers suggested by Jennifer Geraghty-Gorman of On a Flesh and Bone Foundation: An Irish History.

Wordless Wednesday – a great way to share your old family photos! Create a post with the main focus being a photograph or image. Some posters also include attribute information as to the source of the image (date, location, owner, etc.). Wordless Wednesday is one of the longest running “memes” in the blogosphere and is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Workday Wednesday – a way to document your ancestors’ occupations (they weren’t all farmers), transcripts of SS-5s, photos and stories of ancestors at work, announcements of retirements, etc. This prompt has been suggested by Denise Spurlock of the Denise’s Life in the Past Lane and Reflecting on Genealogy blogs.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Juan Nightstand; Tombstone Tuesday – Bessie Mae Mucho.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Wednesday, February 8, 2012

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

Instructions for signing up at WhiteHouse.gov and signing the petition can be found at http://fgs.org/pdf/rpac_petition.pdf.

For Immediate Release

February 7, 2012

February 7, 2012– Austin, TX: The Records Preservation & Access Committee (RPAC) – a joint coalition of international genealogical societies representing millions of genealogists and family historians – announces the launch of its Stop ID Theft NOW! campaign with its We The People petition posted at WhiteHouse.gov.

Call To Action For IRS To Do Its Job

Each year, fraudulent tax refund claims based upon identity theft from recently deceased infants and adults are filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The current target is the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) or Death Master File since this file, as found on numerous genealogy-oriented websites, could possibly be the source of identity thieves acquiring a deceased person’s Social Security number.

The IRS could close the door to this form of identity theft if, in fact, it were to use the Death Master File for the purpose for which it was created: to reduce fraud. If returns claiming a tax refund were screened against the Master Death File and matching cases identified for special processing, the thief should receive a rejection notice for the filing.

Tax Fraud and Identity Theft: Genealogists Are Not To Blame

The House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Social Security is proposing to completely shut down use of the SSDI by genealogists as well as other industries such as banking and insurance that rely upon its information. Such an attempt is short-sighted and runs counter to the original purpose of the SSDI: to actually combat fraud.

Loss of Access to SSDI Affects More Than Genealogists

The SSDI is accessed by many different companies, non-profits and other entities besides individuals researching their family history. Forensic specialists utilize the SSDI when reuniting remains of military veterans with their next-of-kin and descendants. Law offices, banks and insurance companies utilize the SSDI to resolve probate cases and to locate heirs.

All of these entities would be required to spend more money and more time leveraging other resources of information when the SSDI has served this purpose, uninterrupted, for over a decade.

RPAC Petitions Obama Administration

The We the People petition, now posted at http://wh.gov/khE and accepting signatures, has a simple yet effective mission:

Take immediate steps that would curtail the filing of fraudulent tax refund claims based upon identity theft from recently deceased infants and adults.

[Note: Visitors to the WhiteHouse.gov website must log in to sign the petition, or click Create an Account to register. Once registered, return tohttp://wh.gov/khE to sign the petition.]

No need for lengthy hearings in front of a Congressional committee. No need for filing statements for or against any House action. No need to waste time and effort which could be directed to more pressing national issues. In fact, the National Taxpayer Advocate in 2011 issued suggestions which do not require additional legislation but can be implemented collaboratively between the IRS and Social Security Administration (SSA) almost immediately in time to impact the current tax filing season.

About Records Preservation & Access Committee (RPAC)

The Records Preservation & Access Committee (RPAC) was formed to advise the genealogical community on ensuring proper access to historical records of genealogical value in whatever media they are recorded, on means to affect legislation, and on supporting strong records preservation policies and practices.

The genealogical community works together through The Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC), which today includes The National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) as voting members. The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), the American Society of Genealogists (ASG), ProQuest and Ancestry.com serve as participating members.

To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org/rpac/.

Post from: GeneaBloggers

RPAC Announces Stop ID Theft NOW! Campaign with White House Petition

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

Today is Tuesday, February 7, 2012 and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

• Today is Ballet Day, and the Snow Moon.

• Helen Spencer, of Save Every Step, has started a “blog hop” series which runs each Tuesday and is entitled Life’s A Journey. This is a great way to join in the fun and post your own memories! This week: Teenage Crushes.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Talented Tuesday – Got ancestors who had a special talent? Be it musical, comical, or any manner of skill, post at your genealogy blog through words and pictures.

Tech Tuesday – Have you stumbled upon a piece of technology or new Web-based application that would be of interest to your fellow genealogy colleagues? Post at your blog on Tech Tuesday and show us the ins and outs of this technology and how it can benefit the genealogy community.  This is a new series suggested by Donna Peterson of Hanging with Donna and in the past there have been many iterations of this series: the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) blog Narations as well as The Family Curator by Denise Levenick.

Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Travel Tuesday – Do you have images, quotes or stories about trips your ancestors or family took during their lives? Or have to ventured out on travels to your ancestral homeland as part of your genealogy research? Travel Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Susan Donaldson of Family History Fun.

Tuesday’s Tip – What advice would you give to another genealogist or family historian, especially someone just starting out? Remember when you were new to genealogy? Wasn’t it great to find tips and tricks that worked for others? Post your best tips at your genealogy blog on Tuesday’s Tip. This series was suggested by Susan Petersen of Long Lost Relatives and, in fact, this has been an ongoing series by Lynn Palermo at The Armchair Genealogist and by Miriam Robbins at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Andrea Dorea; Tombstone Tuesday – Nequelle Anne Dyme.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot].com.

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Tuesday, February 7, 2012

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

[Editor's Note: I am a director for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) which is a member of the Records Preservation & Access Committee (RPAC).  As many of you know, during last week's meeting of the House Ways & Means Committee Subcommittee on Social Security hearing, genealogists took it on the chin and were made out the be the scapegoats. This is just the start of an ongoing effort to remove access to these records.

Please read the announcement below from RPAC and get ready to help spread the news about the  Stop ID Theft NOW! petition effort.]

RPAC announces the “Stop ID Theft NOW!” Campaign

What if:

• The Social Security Death Index were no longer available online; or
• Birth certificates in every state were not made public for 125years, nor death certificates, marriages and divorce records available until after 75 years?

These and similar proposals further limiting genealogical access to “public” records are actively being considered by policy-makers at the state and federal level.

The most recent example is the hearing held by the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee held on 2 February and found at:  http://waysandmeans.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=276835

Recent posts give at the RPAC Blog at http://www.fgs.org/rpac/  give additional information.

To address such issues, the genealogical community works together through The Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC), a joint committee which today includes The National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) as voting members.  The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), the American Society of Genealogists (ASG), ProQuest and Ancestry.com also serve as participating members.

We expect to launch a significant petition drive on Tuesday, the 7^th of February. It will urge the Administration to take steps that should curtail the filing of fraudulent tax refund claims based upon identity theft from deceased infants and adults almost immediately.    Please plan to check back at the RPAC Blog at that time.

What can individual genealogists and local societies do?  In essence, our message is “Get Involved!”

Start by asking these two questions:

• Do I know who my legislators (state & federal) are?
• Do they know who I am?

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

SSDI Access – Are You Ready To Rumble?

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

I have the great pleasure of introducing you to Erminia Angilletta, also known as “Nuccia,” and her blog, Growing Up in an Italian Family, described as, “. . .  Then and Now and Then Again – In search of my Ancestral Roots.”

How Nuccia Got Started in Genealogy

Nuccia, has been doing genealogy daily since November, 2005, “. . . My then seven year old daughter was intrigued by a class assignment some older children were doing on family history and came home asking if we could put together a family tree for her to show her teacher. Since I had always been interested in my roots and had tried a few times unsuccessfully to chart it out I figured it was the push I needed to get started. I became addicted after that.”

Nuccia’s Family and Her Blog

“Well, they think I should be spending more time cleaning the house and cooking and less time ‘fooling around’ (Italian remember and they don’t read English) having said that, my Mom is the one who has provided me with the most information to me about our family and has spent hours going through pictures and documents that I could use. And my father, who has always been a man of few words, is the one who wants to see everything!

I had a cousin I hadn’t talked to in years call me and told me she had been following the blogs and sites since day one and sharing all the information with her mother. She asked if I could forward her copies of some of the information I had so she could create books for her children.”

Nuccia’s Thoughts on Blogging

“I liked the simplicity of it and how easy it was to be able to create thoughts and posts without a whole lot of knowledge about html or code.  I just had to find the right template that worked for me and I think I’ve done that. The beauty is that if I get bored I can always change the template.”

Nuccia’s blog title actually came about as her husband’s idea, “. . . He was always teasing me about growing up in a traditional Italian family (he’s part Italian but had more of a North American upbringing).”

Nuccia’s biggest blog concern, “How much information is too much information . . . I am constantly worried about privacy issues so I am very careful about what I say and about who.”

How Nuccia Follows the Rest of Us

Nuccia likes to use both Google Reader and Bloglines to catch up on her blog reading, “I get up early in the morning and read the blogs while I have my morning coffee. That’s my ‘me’ time. I have limited time during the week but I spend my Saturday mornings going through as many as I can.”

Currently, Nuccia does not receive blog updates via her email.

What Nuccia Loves Most About Genealogy

“Everything! My ancestors were not rich or famous but they were my family and I am proud of my heritage. It helps me better understand who I am and where I come from. Being first generation Canadian my parents came to this country in the early sixties and brought many of their traditions with them. As a child I accepted them as normal, as a teen I thought they were strange and as an adult I respect them and hope to at least pass some of them down to my children. My son recently visitedItalyand fell in love – just like I did at his age when I visited. He’s made arrangements to visit again this summer. I hope my other two children will have the same opportunity in a few years.”

Nuccia’s Time Capsule Message

“Times change. People change. But the one thing that will never change is where you come from – it’s what defines the person you are today.”

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Please take a moment to head on over to Nuccia’s blog. Leave her a comment letting her know you stopped by. Welcome Nuccia, it’s great to have you here!

© 2012, copyright Gini Webb

Gini Webb lives in San Diego, California and manages her own blog, Ginisology, while also researching her own German heritage, recently retired, enjoying life with wonderful husband Steve and visiting with her now seven grandchildren!

Are you a genealogy blogger who would like to be interviewed for the “May I Introduce To You . . .” series? If so, contact Gini Webb via e-mail.

Post from: GeneaBloggers

May I Introduce To You . . . Erminia Angilletta

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee

[Editor's Note: Registration for GRIP opens at 12:00 noon tomorrow, February 7, 2012 and the available slots are expected to fill up quickly!  Don't delay!]

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, January 23-27, 2012 in Salt Lake City and I can tell you that the “institute” concept simply rocks!  Here are my reasons why you should consider attending the brand new Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 23-27, 2012:

• You can never have enough genealogical education.

• GRIP is located in the Eastern corridor and is close enough for Midwest attendees as well.  The other major institutes are in Salt Lake City (SLIG) and Birmingham (IGHR aka “Samford”) so having an East Coast institute is great!

• You’ll have the chance to learn from experts and genealogy rock stars like Tom Jones, Paula Stuart-Warren, John Humphrey and Josh Taylor.

• You’ll be learning in a congenial and collaborative atmosphere with others who are just as passionate about genealogy and family history.

• When you take into consideration that the price includes 15 meals and you can add on reasonably priced accommodations right on campus, you can’t beat the cost!

©2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Post from: GeneaBloggers

Why You Should Attend GRIP July 22-27, 2012

copyright 2011, Thomas MacEntee