Friday, March 07, 2008
African American DNA Research
Are you black/African American and interested in what Y-DNA Genealogical research can do for tracing your roots? Check out: http://www.africandna.com/. They are a sister site of Family Tree DNA.com
Ancestry.com's DNA Foray Headed For Doom
While having DNA as part of a genealogical research business is a major undertaking, you'd think that the behemoth of them all would get it right. Not even close. A few years ago when I saw Ancestry.com was offering DNA testing (their own), I thought this was interesting...perhaps a lot of people will start doing this. Unfortunately, they did not rely on popular standards (markers) in which they wanted to test with...I'm not sure why exactly their first attempt at including DNA research failed, but it did.
Their second foray into the Genealogical DNA realm began in 2007...with a lot of marketing and hoopla. Now it is March, 2008...they have their blog up, you can order kits, and um is that it? Pretty much. No surname project sites...where's the community?
Their prices are seriously flawed....$199 for a 46 marker test...when you can spend a little more at FamilyTreeDNA and get a 67 marker test. I know what you're saying...more doesn't mean better...but these new markers (they jumped from 37-67) have proven very useful in further refining and distinguishing relationships.
A Genealogical DNA research company without community is useless. People on the blogs state they are receiving matches that say they have 60-70 generation relationships. How do you make an already confusing (to DNA newbies) process even more confusing? Throw useless data at them.
The truth is Ancestry.com is holding out releasing the Surname Projects because they have no community. Who joins projects with 0 or 1 person? The core of the issue is the testing company behind the scenes - Sorensen. While it is a great research group, the problem is their focus. They were not focused as much on surname groups prior to hitching with Ancestry.com and this is the current dilemma.
If Ancestry.com had joined forces with Family Tree DNA, there would have been an explosion in interest and pre-existing surname groups (with pre-existing Administrators like myself).
I see Ancestry.com flopping on this second attempt. Hopefully they aren't so big they won't see their mistake early on. Please make the switch to Family Tree DNA and admit your mistake. Don't take $$$ over substance. I personally love Ancestry.com and the databases and price structure...just not the DNA side.
If you are interested in DNA Genealogical research, please visit http://www.familytreedna.com They have surname groups you can browse through and lots of information on this type of research if you are new.
Of note, they are also coupling with RelativeGenetics.com so they will have some community...but it is pitiful in relation to community presence at FTDNA.
Their second foray into the Genealogical DNA realm began in 2007...with a lot of marketing and hoopla. Now it is March, 2008...they have their blog up, you can order kits, and um is that it? Pretty much. No surname project sites...where's the community?
Their prices are seriously flawed....$199 for a 46 marker test...when you can spend a little more at FamilyTreeDNA and get a 67 marker test. I know what you're saying...more doesn't mean better...but these new markers (they jumped from 37-67) have proven very useful in further refining and distinguishing relationships.
A Genealogical DNA research company without community is useless. People on the blogs state they are receiving matches that say they have 60-70 generation relationships. How do you make an already confusing (to DNA newbies) process even more confusing? Throw useless data at them.
The truth is Ancestry.com is holding out releasing the Surname Projects because they have no community. Who joins projects with 0 or 1 person? The core of the issue is the testing company behind the scenes - Sorensen. While it is a great research group, the problem is their focus. They were not focused as much on surname groups prior to hitching with Ancestry.com and this is the current dilemma.
If Ancestry.com had joined forces with Family Tree DNA, there would have been an explosion in interest and pre-existing surname groups (with pre-existing Administrators like myself).
I see Ancestry.com flopping on this second attempt. Hopefully they aren't so big they won't see their mistake early on. Please make the switch to Family Tree DNA and admit your mistake. Don't take $$$ over substance. I personally love Ancestry.com and the databases and price structure...just not the DNA side.
If you are interested in DNA Genealogical research, please visit http://www.familytreedna.com They have surname groups you can browse through and lots of information on this type of research if you are new.
Of note, they are also coupling with RelativeGenetics.com so they will have some community...but it is pitiful in relation to community presence at FTDNA.
Mortgage Crisis - I'm Not Going To Pay For Your Mistake And You Are NOT Victims.
Just so we're clear, the media's and government's stance on the mortgage crisis is that we should bail everyone out? I've heard of even student loans possibly being frozen. This is all completely ridiculous.
Every news story on the matter has some innocent "victim" telling about their sob story. They didn't read the fine print...they didn't know the market would turn on them.
So you are telling me they decided to make the largest investment in their life...perhaps multi-hundred thousand purchase and they didn't research the payment terms? Suck up your frigging mistakes!
I do not want to bail out these people. The unfortunate reality is some people cannot afford the homes they want. They may have to get a cheaper home...or rent. I am in a townhouse. Do you think I want to live in a townhouse? No, it is what I could afford...barely.
My wife and I started out with two mortgages...one fixed and 1 15 year balloon. We knew at the outset we'd have to refinance that 1 or both as soon as possible. We didn't want to risk our home in the adjustable rate market either.
BGE - our local gas/electric company always sends out a slip that allows you to donate to people who cannot afford their utilities. Are our mortgage companies going to start sending similar slips out that are mandatory or are they going to tack on a service fee to have us pay down other's mortgages?
I do not want to pay for someone else's mistake - whether it be through fees or taxes.
There are two parties at fault in this:
1)The Lenders - they should not offer these bullshit loans...including the interest only. I believe reform is due in this area and support that.
2)The Borrowers - they are about 90% at fault. Do your frigging research idiots. Don't buy outside of your means. Have a plan. Have a budget. Be responsible. If you can't afford it, make a change to be able to afford something else.
Don't foreclose...don't pay late. This affects me too as you are destroying the US market. You have a million bills right? Keep the roof over your head. Pay your mortgage bill first.
Every news story on the matter has some innocent "victim" telling about their sob story. They didn't read the fine print...they didn't know the market would turn on them.
So you are telling me they decided to make the largest investment in their life...perhaps multi-hundred thousand purchase and they didn't research the payment terms? Suck up your frigging mistakes!
I do not want to bail out these people. The unfortunate reality is some people cannot afford the homes they want. They may have to get a cheaper home...or rent. I am in a townhouse. Do you think I want to live in a townhouse? No, it is what I could afford...barely.
My wife and I started out with two mortgages...one fixed and 1 15 year balloon. We knew at the outset we'd have to refinance that 1 or both as soon as possible. We didn't want to risk our home in the adjustable rate market either.
BGE - our local gas/electric company always sends out a slip that allows you to donate to people who cannot afford their utilities. Are our mortgage companies going to start sending similar slips out that are mandatory or are they going to tack on a service fee to have us pay down other's mortgages?
I do not want to pay for someone else's mistake - whether it be through fees or taxes.
There are two parties at fault in this:
1)The Lenders - they should not offer these bullshit loans...including the interest only. I believe reform is due in this area and support that.
2)The Borrowers - they are about 90% at fault. Do your frigging research idiots. Don't buy outside of your means. Have a plan. Have a budget. Be responsible. If you can't afford it, make a change to be able to afford something else.
Don't foreclose...don't pay late. This affects me too as you are destroying the US market. You have a million bills right? Keep the roof over your head. Pay your mortgage bill first.
Militants in Israel
The recent massacre in Israel of innocent civilians again portrays a lot of the Palestinian people in a bad light. While we'd all like to believe these radicals are just a select few, we continually see them defy logic. Watching the Palestinians dance in the street makes you think they all have some odd delusion running through their heads. They do.
To what end does killing innocent civilians have?
1. Continue to derail the peace process.
2. Attribute the Palestinian people to murderers to the Western World.
3. Continue the cycle of violence.
Everything was at least peaceful in the region until the idiots starting lobbing rockets into Israel. Until they get a government that can control their people, there will be no peace. You can't say there may be peace and you can't say they will get land if they keep killing people.
Israel has every right to defend itself...unfortunately this does end up affecting some of the innocents in Palestine. Again, these type of actions have bad affects...with Hamas picking up the pieces...giving handouts to the poor and making them look like the "good guys" and Israel the "infidels"...which I'm sure they may mention to their charity.
To what end does killing innocent civilians have?
1. Continue to derail the peace process.
2. Attribute the Palestinian people to murderers to the Western World.
3. Continue the cycle of violence.
Everything was at least peaceful in the region until the idiots starting lobbing rockets into Israel. Until they get a government that can control their people, there will be no peace. You can't say there may be peace and you can't say they will get land if they keep killing people.
Israel has every right to defend itself...unfortunately this does end up affecting some of the innocents in Palestine. Again, these type of actions have bad affects...with Hamas picking up the pieces...giving handouts to the poor and making them look like the "good guys" and Israel the "infidels"...which I'm sure they may mention to their charity.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Sherman J. Silber, M.D. - Go Back To School
Taken from Boston.com: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/02/a_4_year_old_ambassador_against_fear/
"This is what "internationally renowned" Sherman J. Silber, M.D., writes in his "completely revised and updated" book "How to Get Pregnant," published by Little Brown and Co. last August: "The biggest fear of most pregnant women is that their child will be abnormal, and the most common abnormality they worry about is Down syndrome. . . . These children are severely retarded mentally, and they usually die before their thirtieth birthday."
more stories like this
He also writes: "We can prevent couples from having to face the horror of giving birth to children with otherwise devastating genetic defects such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, mental retardation, etc., that terrify every woman who ever gets pregnant."
Silber's book has sold more than 400,000 copies. It's been translated into Spanish, German, and Russian. He's been on "Oprah," "Good Morning America," and NPR.
Silber may be popular, but he is wrong."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great article - check it out. I cannot believe this idiot is a Doctor.
"This is what "internationally renowned" Sherman J. Silber, M.D., writes in his "completely revised and updated" book "How to Get Pregnant," published by Little Brown and Co. last August: "The biggest fear of most pregnant women is that their child will be abnormal, and the most common abnormality they worry about is Down syndrome. . . . These children are severely retarded mentally, and they usually die before their thirtieth birthday."
more stories like this
He also writes: "We can prevent couples from having to face the horror of giving birth to children with otherwise devastating genetic defects such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, mental retardation, etc., that terrify every woman who ever gets pregnant."
Silber's book has sold more than 400,000 copies. It's been translated into Spanish, German, and Russian. He's been on "Oprah," "Good Morning America," and NPR.
Silber may be popular, but he is wrong."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great article - check it out. I cannot believe this idiot is a Doctor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)