The following was written by the Board for Certification of Genealogists®:

BCG offers Emeritus status to a Board-certified genealogist who has had a long and distinguished career with BCG and who is retired. The Board of Trustees voted on 4 October 2021 to award this designation to Barbara J. Mathews, CG®, Retired (2021), FASG.

Barbara J. Mathews became CG no. 388 on 12 January 1996. She served as a trustee of BCG from 2002 to 2013, as secretary from 2004 to 2005, and as vice president from 2005 to 2008. Mathews was also BCG’s representative to the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC).

Mathews served as a trustee of the BCG Education Fund from 2002 to 2013. In this role she helped establish the 2005 Putting Skills to Work hands-on workshop. She also was the Conference Coordinator between the BCG Education Fund and the NGS conference coordinator chair.

Barbara has supported BCG’s mission to inform and educate by authoring several articles for  SpringBoard, the BCG’s blog. Her efforts include “The New Renewal Requirement: What Does It Mean for You?”, “Skillbuilding: Structural Elements of a Good Genealogy,” and “Insight: Lineage Work, An Inside Look.”

Besides her support to BCG, Barbara is also a distinguished scholar, author, and educator. Mathews contributed to excellence in genealogical education by serving as an instructor in Boston University’s Genealogical Research Program, as mentor to ProGen Study Groups 6 and 21, and as a mentor to the GenProof study group.

Her genealogical scholarship was recognized by her election as a fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 2014. She has published several books, including the three-volume Descendants of Gov. Thomas Welles of Connecticut and his Wife, Alice Tomes. She has authored many articles for a variety of publications, such as The American Genealogist, Connecticut Ancestry, Connecticut Nutmegger, and The Virginia Genealogist.

She co-authored, “Lineage Applications,” in the 2018 version of Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice, and Standards. She is a popular columnist and author of methodology articles in professional publications such as the NGS Magazine. She actively blogs under the handle The Demanding Genealogist.

On behalf of BCG and the entire genealogical community, thank you, Barbara!

Ancestry.com Operations Inc. and affiliated defendants have asked the U.S. magistrate judge overseeing a right to publicity case against it to decline the plaintiffs’ invitation for an indicative ruling. In last Friday’s opposition, Ancestry argues that the intervening change of law the plaintiffs highlight does not actually modify existing precedent and therefore warrants no different decision.

Previously, the court dismissed the case with prejudice for want of Article III standing. Despite their pending appeal to the Ninth Circuit, the plaintiffs requested what Ancestry refers to as “extraordinary relief” in the form of an indicative ruling under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 60 and 62. At the end of September, the plaintiffs asked the court to either grant a motion to reconsider its dismissal ruling or make an indicative ruling that the motion presents a “substantial issue” and that the judge would accept remand from the Ninth Circuit to hear it. 

You can read the details at: https://bit.ly/3DxSIur.

The following was written by the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS):

The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) is pleased to announce the creation of the International Association of Armenian Librarians and Archivists (IAALA), a new organization operating under the umbrella of the SAS, with the goal to provide an international forum for information specialists working broadly with Armenian topics and materials. IAALA plans to host online events and create standing committees to address acquisitions, cataloging, research and reference, preservation and digitization issues. It also intends to be an advocate for the need of Armenian expertise in the libraries of public institutions throughout the world.

IAALA was born through discussions that followed the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States Congress, when Nora Avetyan of UCLA and Ani Boyadjian of the Los Angeles Public Library spearheaded a successful effort to change the official subject heading of the Library of Congress from “Armenian Massacres” to “Armenian Genocide.” Two other members of that committee, Levon Avdoyan (Library of Congress, retired) and Seda Aykanian Matevosian (Vahan and Anoush Chamlian Armenian School) joined Avetyan and Boyadjian in the efforts to realize an association of Armenian librarians and archivists. In conversation with the Executive Committee of the Society for Armenian Studies, they established IAALA under the aegis of SAS as an organization that would support librarians and archivists of Armenian material and to bridge the divide between the librarian and scholarly worlds.

You can read the full announcement at: https://bit.ly/3AD96bg.

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

There are quite a few graphics programs available for Windows, Linux, and for Macintosh. They have a multitude of uses, including restoring faded or damaged family heirloom photographs. By far the best-known graphics program is Adobe PhotoShop, a high-end powerhouse with a price tag to match. PhotoShop sells for about $600 or so. Adobe also sells a "junior version," called PhotoShop Elements, for a much more reasonable "street price" of about $90.00. PhotoShop Elements leaves out a number of features that are of interest to professional graphics artists but still retains all the core capabilities. PhotoShop Elements is very popular among home computer users and hobbyists. Adobe also has numerous competitors who sell similar graphics programs with varying capabilities for prices ranging from $35 to more than $500.

However, I use a FREE, high-powered graphics editing program. The one that I like is available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. The one I have been using includes:

• • A full suite of painting tools including Brush, Pencil, Airbrush, Clone, etc.

  • Image size is limited only by available disk space.

  • Sub-pixel sampling for all paint tools for high quality anti-aliasing

  • Full alpha channel support

  • Layers and channels

  • A procedural database for calling internal functions from external programs

  • Advanced scripting capabilities

  • Multiple Undo/Redo (limited only by disk space)

  • Virtually unlimited number of images open at one time

  • Extremely powerful gradient editor and blend tool

  • Load and save animations in a convenient frame-as-layer format

  • Transformation tools including rotate, scale, shear, and flip

  • File formats supported include gif, jpg, png, xpm, tiff, tga, mpeg, ps, pdf, pcx, bmp, and many others.

  • Load, display, convert, save to many file formats.

  • Selection tools include rectangle, ellipse, free, fuzzy, bezier, and intelligent.

  • Plug-ins allow for the easy addition of new file formats and new effect filters.

  • Over 100 plug-ins already available

  • Supports custom brushes and patterns

  • Much, much more.

I have to admit that I am not an expert in graphics software. In fact, I have no idea what "Full alpha channel support" means. Some of the other terminology in the above list also confuses me. But I can tell you that I am impressed with this program. In short, it is a very powerful program that even this graphics-challenged person has used successfully to touch up photographs. I am just learning to use its many capabilities. I am very impressed with what I have used so far. I am also very impressed with the price tag of this program: zero. That's right: it is free of charge for all users, even for commercial use.

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/11211578. 

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

This is a follow-up to yesterday's article announcing the release of  RootsMagic 8:

We are excited to announce the release of RootsMagic 8 UK Edition, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organising, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable.

RootsMagic 8 boasts an impressive list of new features including an all-new interface, native Windows and Mac support and a completely rewritten report engine.

The UK version includes UK date formats (with support for BMD Quarter dates), UK source templates, 3 months online access to Census and BMDs for England and Wales, as well as boasting a 16-page Quick Start Guide and support from our dedicated team in Wiltshire.

All UK packages are available as a download so you can start using the program straight away without waiting for the post! For those who want a physical copy, we offer the Platinum and Standard editions on a USB memory stick for just £5 more + P&P, this also comes with a printed copy of the Quick Start Guide.

UK Platinum Edition

RootsMagic UK Platinum Edition has everything you need to organise your family history research.

Includes:

• • Full RootsMagic 8 UK Program

  • Printed Quick Start Guide (or Digital if download)

  • 3 Months online access to:

    • 1841-1911 Census for England and Wales with images

    • 1837-2005 Birth Marriage and Death Records for England and Wales

    • Parish and Non-Conformist Records

    • Military Records, Wills and more!

  • Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain & Ireland 1893

  • Visitation of England & Wales 1893-1921

  • History of the Commoners of Great Britain & Ireland 1835

  • Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography

RootsMagic UK Platinum is available as a download or on a USB memory stick. Includes both Windows and macOS installers.

Download - £49.95 USB - £54.95

UK Standard Edition

Includes:

• • Full RootsMagic 8 UK Program

  • 3 Months online access to 1841-1911 Census and 1837-2005 Birth Marriage and Death Records for England and Wales

  • Printed Quick Start Guide (or Digital if download)

  • Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain & Ireland 1893

RootsMagic UK Standard is available as a download or on a USB memory stick. Includes both Windows and macOS installers.

Download - £39.95 USB - £44.95

UK Upgrade

If you already have a previous version of RootsMagic then this is all you need to upgrade to Version 8. Includes both Windows and macOS installers.

Includes:

• • Full RootsMagic 8 UK Program

  • 3 Months online access to 1841-1911 Census and 1837-2005 Birth Marriage and Death Records for England and Wales

  • Digital Quick Start Guide

Download - £19.95

What’s New in Version 8?

Simpler Navigation - The new main window lets you switch between different screens (people, sources, places, tasks, media, etc.) without losing your place. The new "Couple View" and expandable "Descendants View" give you new insights into your families.

Easier Editing - You may now have more than one person's edit screen open at a time. You can also use other software features while the edit screen is open. All of a person's information is now accessible from their edit screen. You can even switch to the edit screen of any family member and then instantly switch back.

Searching at Your Fingertips - Lists of data now have their own search box, allowing you to quickly find matching items. Advanced searching tools have all been grouped together into one easy screen.

Save to Modern Formats - Reports and charts may be saved in newer, more compatible formats including Microsoft Word .DOCX, Microsoft Excel .XLSX, and .SVG.

New Wallcharts & Fancharts - Wallcharts have been rebuilt from the ground up, giving beautiful new features and colouring as well as one of the most requested features - fan charts.

Reusable Source Citations - Reusable citations let you create a citation once and then attach it to multiple people or events.

Streamlined Tasks - To-do items, correspondence lists, and research logs have been brought together into streamlined "tasks". Tasks are easily attached to people, sources, media, and more while being quickly searched and filtered.

Better Places & Mapping - The Place List is now reversible and can directly show you all the events where the place is used. People and events can be quickly edited from the Place List. The Map View shows you the location of each place and any desired group of people

And Much More - Many more enhancements to colour coding, groups, media handling, reports, and more!

RootsMagic UK is available from the UK website at www.RootsMagic.co.uk

For more information or if you have any queries, please contact us

The following press release was written by the Board for Certification of Genealogists:

Storing information in DNA? It is possible and is already being done daily.

An article by Lila Reynolds and published in the Northwestern University web site describes the latest technology:

"Our genetic code is millions of times more efficient at storing data than existing solutions, which are costly and use immense amounts of energy and space. In fact, we could get rid of hard drives and store all the digital data on the planet within a couple hundred pounds of DNA.

"Using DNA as a high-density data storage medium holds the potential to forge breakthroughs in biosensing and biorecording technology and next-generation digital storage, but researchers haven’t been able to overcome inefficiencies that would allow the technology to scale.

"Now, researchers at Northwestern University propose a new method for recording information to DNA that takes minutes, rather than hours or days, to complete. The team used a novel enzymatic system to synthesize DNA that records rapidly changing environmental signals directly into DNA sequences, a method the paper’s senior author said could change the way scientists study and record neurons inside the brain."

You can read Lila Reynolds' full article at https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2021/10/intracellular-recording-data-to-dna/ and that article contains a link to a far more technical article, "Recording Temporal Signals with Minutes Resolution Using Enzymatic DNA Synthesis."

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

Scotland, Edinburgh Apprentices 1583-1800

This fascinating collection is now fully searchable. Search over 29,000 transcripts to discover apprentices of all trades and uncover details of their work, training, masters and even their father’s name.

Apprenticeship records reveal details about your ancestors’ lives and careers you won’t find elsewhere. Young apprentices from all over Scotland have travelled to Edinburgh over the centuries to learn their craft and, for those that exist on record, these documents are great way to find the place of origin of those who move to the city and later set down roots.

British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Deaths

We’ve added thousands of new records from The National Archives and the General Register Office to these two important collections.

British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms will enable you to discover the details of children born overseas and at sea including children born to those working within the armed forces, merchant navy, and consular forces, as well as, civilian ship passengers.

British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials documents members of the British armed forces who died while serving their country overseas, British civilians who died while travelling or working overseas, and individuals, including seamen, who died at sea.

Newspapers

Once fascinating new title has been added to Findmypast’s ever-expanding newspaper collection this week. The Keys 1933-1939, published in July 1933, was the ‘Official Organ of the League of Coloured Peoples’ and aimed to address the ‘racial misunderstanding’ that was prevalent in society, both in Britain and beyond.

Additional pages have also been added to following six titles;

• • Cornish Post and Mining News from 1925 and 1927
  • Daily News (London) from 1957-1960
  • Faversham News from 1949, 1952, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1966, 1973 and 1980
  • London Evening Standard from 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879-1880, 1882, 1884, 1888, 1890, 1892-1894 and 1910-1914
  • Lynn News & County Press from 1940-1941 and 1943-1944
  • Widnes Examiner from 1910

RootsMagic users have waited a long time for version 8 but now that it is available, early reports from users indicate it was well worth the wait. The few people I have talked with who have already upgraded to the new release all were very enthusiastic about the new features.

With the release comes an update to the free “RootsMagic Essentials” product, as well as a limited-time discount offer for both new and existing users.

The following is the announcement from the RootsMagic Blog:

Built For the Future

RootsMagic 8 is the biggest release in our 30-year history. We’ve rewritten RootsMagic to support the latest genealogical technologies available today while building a foundation for future functionality that would have been impossible with our older code.

Impressive New Features

RootsMagic 8 boasts an impressive list of new features including an all-new interface that supports easily switching between different types of information without losing your place, the ability to edit multiple persons at the same time, native Windows and Mac support, reusable citations, a completely rewritten report engine, and the ability to save reports directly to Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx) files.

Other exciting new features include fan charts, streamlined search capabilities, an enhanced person editing experience, and a powerful new task management system.Learn more about RootsMagic 8

New RootsMagic Community

We’re also excited to announce a new online community for users to connect and ask questions, share ideas, and discuss how to use the RootsMagic software.  The RootsMagic community is based on the Discourse platform and can be found at https://community.rootsmagic.com.  Everyone is welcome to view or read posts, but a free account is required in order to post or comment on messages.

Visit community.RootsMagic.c

New Webinars

To help users become familiar with the new version and features, we’re offering a new series of free webinars; the first being, “What’s New in RootsMagic 8”. Visit https://rootsmagic.com/webinars to register.

Webinars will also be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and recordings will be available there.

Register for Webinars

Free “RootsMagic Essentials”

RootsMagic 8 is also available in an updated, free edition named, “RootsMagic 8 Essentials”.  RootsMagic Essentials is available for both Windows and macOS and contains many core features from the RootsMagic software.  The two products are fully compatible with one another.

Many people are curious about their family history and don’t know where to begin. RootsMagic Essentials is the perfect way for someone to get started, risk-free. It’s available for download at https://www.rootsmagic.com/try .

Try it Free

Discount Offer

RootsMagic 8 is available for only $39.95.  Existing RootsMagic and Family Origins users may upgrade for only $29.95.

For a limited time, RootsMagic is offering an additional discount for both full and upgrade copies.  Until October 17, 2021, the full version will be available for $34.95, and upgrade pricing will be $24.95.  After October 17th, the price will return to its regular price.

Buy Now

Thank You

Thank you to all of the users and testers who have worked with us as we’ve journeyed this long road to get to this point. This wouldn’t have been possible without your testing, feedback, and patience. We’re excited to finally deliver RootsMagic 8 to you and for the future plans that we have for our software.

The following announcement was written by the Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS):