Links, 7.26.10

I was expecting a summertime slowdown in genealogy news, and July did not disappoint — until this week, where for some reason everyone perked up and started … doing things. Huh. What’s that about?

DNA Disclosure: Megan Smolenyak lays out the well-reasoned case for full and informative use of DNA findings in Don’t Protect Us From Our Own Genetic Information. I had no idea that media types are out there specifically looking for DNA horror stories — way to kick off a calm examination of the facts, guys. [Sarcasm fully intended.]

Write it Down!: Columnist Betty Lou Malesky reports on a New England Historic Genealogy survey that tracked how much, and what, the respondents wrote down about their research results. While 68 percent reported writing down “bits and pieces” for family members, the numbers were far lower for more extensive writing like articles and family histories. Malesky’s conclusion: Share your work now! Don’t wait until it’s finished (and when is it ever finished, anyway?).

Lost Boys: Orphan resettlement is a huge genealogy story that only recently has been studied in the detail it deserves. In an example from Scotland, author Gordon Douglas is seeking stories from the families of boys who served on the Royal Navy training ship Mars, moored on the River Tay for 60 years beginning in 1869. It seems more than 6,500 homeless and/or destitute boys were sent there to “keep them out of trouble.” H/t to All Voices.

Camp Roots: Tired of hearing the kids say “We’re bored”? Pack them off to genealogy camp, that’ll show them! Really, though, this is a nice idea, and kudos to the Alexandria (La.) library for launching the program.

Genealogy decor: This is basically a home decor story, but since the residence in question is owned by a family history maven, his interests are part of the look. In the illustration, check out the beautiful arrangements of vintage family photos on the walls.

Roughing it: Shauna Hicks asks: Can you do Genealogy Without Technology? On a recent research trip, she went GPS- and laptop-free. Her conclusion agreed with my gut reaction: You can, but why? I appreciate her doing the tough sledding to prove this, however.

Koda-KO’D: Aww, nuts. Dick Eastman’s newsletter reports that the final roll of Kodachrome film was developed by the last lab in the nation still handling this classic medium. As Eastman notes, it’s a landmark shift in photographic technology. He even includes a video of Paul Simon’s iconic song, but it doesn’t ease the pain … sniff.

OK, everyone, back to the hammocks now. Have a relaxing week.

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