Genealogy
Summer in the City
Jun 1st
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those who have served our country and those who are currently active. Memorial Day parades occurred all around the country on Monday, including in my hometown of Merrick, NY, where I retreated for the weekend.
Good weather also came with this year’s Memorial Day, and I couldn’t help but wonder what summer in the city will be like this year. While the rest of the world tends to slow down in the summer months, New York maintains its fast pace year ’round. Many New Yorkers flee the hot city on summer weekends, even though there is always plenty to do. I plan on checking out the new High Line, which I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t yet done.
I also plan to visit the recently overhauled Intrepid Museum. A friend of mine visited the museum this weekend and was so impressed with its new look that he convinced me to go check it out myself. I find summer is a great time to visit new restaurants and rediscover parts of the city I usually overlook in the winter. Yesterday, for example, I roamed around the West Village, armed with a new piece of information.
We have been digging into family history, and with the help of some long-lost relatives, found four addresses where my great-great-aunt used to live. The addresses were found in letters, some of which were written during World War II, and all of the apartments were located in the West Village, where she lived during the 1930s and 1940s. I’ve walked around West 4th Street, Perry Street and Bank Street many times before, but this time, as I wandered, I tried to imagine what the area was like during that time period, especially for an artist like my aunt. I couldn’t help but get excited by learning more about my past, thinking about how it may lead to my future.
I’m looking forward to summer adventures, both close to home and on trips this summer. I hope the next few months bring excitement for you as well!
– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher
Stand Up and Be Counted
May 4th
The U.S. Home Census is probably the most simple task the government asks of us as residents of the United States, and it is an extremely important one that affects all of our lives directly. Yet over 48 million people have yet to submit their census forms, and unfortunately, New York owns one of the highest unreturned rates in the country. Frankly, this appalls me.
The census takes less than the 10 minutes to fill out than is advertised and asks no incriminating questions. The results of the census are then used to determine how many congressmen a state is allocated to represent it, which reflects directly on our community by deciding how much funding is delegated to services such as hospitals, schools, senior centers, job training centers, bridges, tunnels, other public works projects and emergency services.
I’ve asked my friends and people in the community, like my local banker, who all have said they have not returned their census forms. When I asked why, they all merely shrugged their shoulders and moved onto the next topic. I was appalled because when it comes time for elections and tax season, all I hear is people complaining that they don’t see any results from their taxes or federal spending. The government can only help those who it knows exist and deposit funds relevant to the numbers they have reported.
Now, my knowledge of how the census works is very loose, but I do know it helps in other ways that may not help you or your family until years later. After watching the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?, I started revisiting my family genealogy, and as on the show, many clues were helped along through the census. I confirmed that my great, great grandfather on my mother’s side was born in Manhattan in the early-mid-1800s, and that helped me trace my NY roots back even further! So if you don’t want to fill out the census for the government, then do it for you and your family!
– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher
Paying Tribute
Sep 17th
Many times you hear of the passing of someone when it is too late to pay your respects. Or perhaps distance, schedules or other circumstances prevent you from attending a service even if you do find out in a timely manner. I recently discovered a company which addresses these delicate issues surrounding the passing of anyone in your life.
Legacy.com is an online media company which provides a forum for people to share memories and express their condolences. Legacy works with over 650 newspapers in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia.
Legacy provides a place to post an obituary, sign a guestbook and create a memorial Web site. Legacy also offers other related services such as searchable obits, death notices and family histories.
In the business world, we might have hundreds of connections. I might not be able to fly across the country to attend a memorial service, but I certainly like the opportunity to leave behind some lasting thoughts on the dearly departed.
It isn’t just limited to the business world, though. According to Production Manager Jason Farber, “We frequently hear from families who are glad they have a place to go to connect with family and friends during this difficult time; from across the country or from another country entirely.”
When a card or flowers simply do not express enough, Legacy provides several options which allow you to express your feelings. “People often use our Guest Books to share  their thoughts and condolences when distance prevents them from attending the funeral of a loved one,” Farber explained.
There is also the possiblility that you don’t know the person; however, that person made some impact on your life. Perhaps an athlete or poet. Legacy provides you with an outlet for your thoughts. Despite not knowing you, the grieving family can take some comfort in your words and those of others like you.
An ad campaign once stated, “It’s the next-best thing to being there.” That’s exactly what Legacy is.
 John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
It’s All Relative
Sep 26th
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You and I are related. It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. According to an article in yesterday’s Boston Globe, scientists are hot on the trail of DNA analysis that can trace the route a person’s ancestors traveled from
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The Genograhic Project, a research initiative conducted in partnership between the National Geographic Society and IBM, uses laboratory and computer analysis of DNA to map how Earth was populated. The five-year study, which commenced in 2005, is expected to result in a public database that will house one of the largest collections of human population genetic information ever assembled.
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In their initial report, released last June, researchers revealed the results of the analysis of genetic data collected from 78,590 participants. Interested in discovering the route your ancestors took from the cradle of humankind in East Africa ― east through Asia and perhaps across the once ice-covered Bering Strait into the
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The study is open to the public. Participation information is posted on the Genograhic Project Web site. There’s also an interesting video that tracks the results of DNA tests conducted on four individuals selected at random in
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Look around. That’s your long-lost relative sitting across from you.
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