Gedmatch has changed their access policies

Gedmatch has made a major adjustment to their polices regarding the access rights Law Enforcement have on their site.  Basically, all kits are now opted NO POLICE ACCESS by default.  If you want to Opt In, that is, allow Law Enforcement to include your kit in it’s match processes, then you need to get onto the GENESIS site and change your options.

I have just finished updating my kits to  allow full rights.  Basically, I reset my kits to be the way it was before this change.  I am not going to debate the issue here.  Come to the DNA Sig and we can discuss it fully.  Meanwhile, here are the NEW categories.

Searching with Google

A few years ago I taught a class here about using Google for searching, genealogically speaking. The other days, I ran into a pile of handouts that I had prepared for that class that were not given away. I will drop them off at the FHC for people who are not familiar with Google search syntax items. The syntax has not changed over the years.

I am also including a PDF of that handout here: GOOGLE SYNTAX.

I recently opened a Pro account at Geni.com and was reminded that anyone can search specifically in Geni’s One World Tree using Google for free! Using syntax described in the above file, just do a search that looks like this.  The plus sign restricts it to Geni only.

+site:geni.com “andrew robeson” OR “andy robeson”

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“Study predicts more dead Facebook users than living by 2070.” – Oxford Internet Users

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We Took a Poll at the Dig

At the last meeting of the DNA Sig, we took a poll.  This was a non-random and not statistically significant poll, but it was written and in person.   The poll just surveyed what Genealogy & DNA company people actually are using.  The list was limited to the items on the poll.  There are other DNA companies out there, but they were not on the list.

There were 12 folks at the DNA Sig meeting.  I promised to share the results.

I was surprised that 23andMe was the high mark for DNA testing.  There is nothing wrong with 23andMe, thats not my point.  It is just that folks in the Dig group rarely talk about it! Interesting.  Perhaps we should repeat this little survey again sometime.

 

 

DNA Sig Meeting May 11, 2019 at 10:00 am

This is a reminder for the MoCoGenSo DIG meeting May 11, 2019 at the Seaside FHC at 10:00 am. We will meet in the Fireside Room (behind the computer room)

Schedule:

10:00 to 10:15 Discussion of future topics of interest/volunteers for future presentations. Please consider volunteering! Work In Progress is Fine.

10:15 to 11:15* Showing off the new Thrulines in Ancestry.com and some MyHeritage splashy things. James Robeson

*If time allows, Barbara will tell us more!

11:15 to 11:30 Questions

Barbara is giving the following presentations:
California Association of Criminalists Oakland, CA May 13-17
Topics in Forensic Science Conference, Houston TX June 12-13, 2019

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Next meeting: Saturday June 8, 2019

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“I made a decision to write for my readers, not to try to find more readers for my writing.” – Seth Godin

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Monthly Meeting – May 2, 2019 – “Identifying, Organizing and Restoring Photos” by Kathy Nielsen, MA, MLS

Where do we start? Our photo collection can be overwhelming and unwieldy. But photos are so important in discovering information about our ancestors. Join Kathy Nielsen as she shares some tips on photo identification, organization and restoration. She will introduce you to Restore, a new and easy photo editing application. There is hope.

Kathy Nielsen is a reference librarian in the California History Room at the Monterey Public Library. Kathy has been an educator and a librarian for over four decades. She has shared her adventures with the Monterey County Genealogy Society, the Monterey Public Library, the Carmel Valley Library, Gentrain, OLLI, and the DAR Ancestor Round-Up Seminar. Kathy incorporates her skills as an historian, a storyteller, and a librarian in her search for her family’s history.

Doors open at 6:15 pm, the meeting starts at 7:00 pm. We’ll see you at the Family History Center, 1024 Noche Buena, Seaside, CA., left rear of building.

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“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” – Albert Einstein

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A little experiment – MyHeritage DNA Kit completed – abt 5 weeks

The excitement over MyHeritage’s new Theory of Relativity caused me to order their DNA test. I have taken ever other type of genetic genealogy DNA test there is, so I figure one more shouldn’t hurt! The last test I took was a Big-Y at FTDNA and it took about a year to get my results. Since FTDNA does the processing for MyHeritage, I have decided to track the time it takes to get my results.

Apparently MyHeritage is switching to a new chip type, perhaps this will cause a bit of a delay over normal. And I presume the Theory of Relativity has stimulated many new testers besides me. So I am expecting above average turn around time.

Anyway… I put my “biohazard” sample into the mailbox this afternoon, March 13. I am hopeful. I have heard good things about MyHeritage DNA reports and am anxious to see them.

Follow Up
2-28-2019 Ordered
3-13-2019 Mailed Kit
3-20-2019 Sample Received by labs
4-23-2019 DNA Kit Available!

It only took about 5 weeks from the time I mailed the sample. Not bad at all. But, when I attempted to download my raw DNA file, I received this message:

Your DNA sample was processed using a new chip. We are working to support the export of DNA data processed on the new chip, and this will be available soon.

So, good news, bad news. It looks like everything else is there, I am still having fun playing around.

5-8-2019 DNA Raw Data is available. I am not sure when it was ready, but it is now and I have downloaded! Overall, I am quite satisfied with MyHeritage’s DNA test turnaround time.

Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential includes Barbara Rae-Venter

The leader and founder of our DNA Interest Group here at MoCoGenSo, Barbara Rae-Venter, was just announced to be one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in 2019“!

You may remember that earlier this year Barbara was selected as one of NATURE Magazine’s “10 People Who Mattered This Year“. This new honor is even more impressive when you realize that only two people are on both lists: Barbara for her work as a pioneer in using DNA to solve crimes and Mr. He Jiankui, the scientist who used CRISPR to edit the genomes of two infants in China. Time Magazine must feel that DNA is on the forefront of fields set to make major changes in our society.

This puts Barbara in the room with Lady Gaga, Jane Goodall, Xi Jinping, Robert Mueller, Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Greta Thunberg, Tiger Woods, Mark Zuckerberg and 90 more!

The full set of the 100 “Most Influential” list can be seen here: TIME 100 for 2019. Or find it by searching for TIME 100.

If you want to see Barbara in person, come to our monthly DNA Interest Group meetings. We are lucky to have Barbara in our group, helping us with our own genetic genealogy puzzles.

Congratulations again, Barbara.