Thursday, June 26, 2008

Family History and the Slave Trade

This past Tuesday evening, June 24th, I was flipping channels since most commercial television bores me to death and we only have "poor people's TV" aka "no cable." I stumbled upon what looked like a documentary being narrated by a very depressed sounding female voice.

I thought to myself, "Wow - this sounds like it isn't much fun," but continued to watch since it involved genealogy and family history. But as the film pulled me in, I realized - and appreciated - the tone with which Katrina Browne narrated this visual depiction of her family's history.

Traces of the Trade is more than just a documentary - I liken it more to a "family history project" - sort of what many of us genealogists and genea-bloggers do to make our own family history seem more alive and 3-dimensional. But Katrina and the other relatives depicted so artfully by the co-producer Juanita Brown don't shy away from a dark and dirty secret: their ancestors were involved with the slave trade for a long period of time in the 18th and 19th centuries and were responsible for transporting slaves from Ghana to the New World.

I strongly recommend that everyone - whether you are involved with family history - or not - take time to look up your local PBS listings for this amazing documentary.

The evidence of my family's involvement with the slave trade has been a topic that has fascinated me for years but I have really not put much effort into its research. Perhaps it is due to my fear of finding the same type of evidence that Katrina and her family uncovered. I can only hope that if and when I do find such evidence, that I can re-tell the story as eloquently as the Traces of The Trade team has done.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wordless Wednesday



Gregory Austin, Alfred Austin and Malcolm Austin. Photograph. Abt 1935. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Treasures In The Attic - Maryland Plantation

I saw this article by Kristen Wyatt at the Associated Press on Sunday and could not imagine what I would do if I had found the items.

It seems that the Emory family of Centreville, Maryland never threw anything away even in 400 years. The treasure trove which is being cataloged by state archivists as well as professors and students of Washington College contains letters, receipts, flyers, posters and more.

Read it here.

Have you ever encountered a similar situation - perhaps not 400 years worth of items - but enough to keep you busy documenting your family history for many months or years?

A Fistful of Teeth

Miriam over at AnceStories 2: Stories of Me for My Descendants has a scary prompt this week - The Dentist!

Who was/were your childhood dentist(s)? Was he/she your family dentist?

I think it was the dentist from the movie Marathon Man. Seriously, the first dentist I encountered was Dr. Pollack in my hometown. A very nice man but since he had been my mother's dentist and was up there in years, his hands shook quite a bit which was unnerving, especially when it came to cavity drilling. Some days I thought for sure I'd end up using my cheek as a sieve.

Did you like or dread going to the dentist? Why?

Hated it. The reason is due to my long and tortured dental history. Not trying to give away any of the answers below, but here it is in a nutshell:

- I was born with what my family called "Irish Teeth"

- My mother took or I was given tetracylcine as a small child which severely stained my teeth

- I suffered from dentinogensis imperfecta where the teeth, especially the second set, are formed without enamel and are easily broken

- I required orthodontic work to pull a front tooth down from the gum just below my nose

Enough said.

Did you ever have cavities as a kid, or were you one of those cavity-free kids?

Suprisingly, I did not have many cavities - just one - as a kid. Of course, I didn't have many teeth so that made it kind of easy.

Did you ever need oral surgery or braces?

As I said above, I had orthodontic braces to pull a front tooth down into place and to align the other teeth. Looking back, this was a large expense for my mother and was not covered by insurance.

I also have had two major oral surgeries (requiring general anesthesia) and numerous extractions involving novacaine.

Did you ever knock a tooth out (accidentally or on purpose)?

Oh yes. I usually just had a cousin pretend he was playing the xylophone on my teeth and one would fall out.

What was the tooth fairy tradition in your childhood home? If she visited your house, how much did she pay per tooth? Did she find the tooth under your pillow or in a glass of water?

The tooth fairy was way too active in my house especially with my teeth. But I felt sort of rooked since many of my "baby teeth" would not come out by themselves and required extraction at the dentist.

I left my tooth under the pillow and in the morning there was usually a quarter in its place. One time there was a miniature bottle of scotch. I don't know what that was all about but my mother quickly snatched it out of my hand the next morning and said that the Tooth Fairy obviously made a mistake. LOL.

What was the worst dental exam or procedure you had done?

Hmmmm - hard to pick since there have been so many. My most recent surgery in April 2005 where I had all my teeth removed in preparation for dentures (see below).

What is your favorite memory of the dentist?

Leaving his office.

How have your adult experiences at the dentist compared with those of your childhood?

About the same - my mother could not believe how I just took all the visits in stride and almost never complained about the pain or inconvenience. To me, it was just a fact of life even though my brother never suffered the dental horrors that I had.

Do you still have the same dentist? Why or why not?

I can proudly say that I am now dentist free. Well, the dentist I have is a good friend of mine here in Chicago who actually runs a denture manufacturing shop so I can go back to him for realignment when I need to.

If you have children, what is/was the tooth fairy tradition for them?

Miniature bottles of scotch.

Have you had to have dentures or bridgework?

I finally have dentures and I can truly say that it is a relief. During the past few years I kept getting infections in my mouth due to the state of my teeth. When the last one went up into my right eye, I said enough is enough - they had to come out. My biggest fear was having the infection travel to my heart or somewhere else.

No regrets at all - it is a nuisance to take them out and put them in though. I have considered implants but right now most insurance companies consider them to be "cosmetic" in nature and thus the cost is not covered.

Describe your oral health history and relate your opinion as to the causes behind your good or poor oral health.

Much of my poor oral health is due to genetics. All of my mother's siblings have dentures and suffered the same problems that I did. I just thought that in my time there had been enough advances made to save my teeth. If I had known all the time, money and torture involved which ultimately led to dentures anyway, I would have had dentures done almost 30 years ago.

Are there any dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, dental technicians or assistants in your family tree?

None.

Are there any stories in your family history about going to the dentist and the kinds of treatments experienced in the old days?

One curious story from my great-grandmother Therese McGinnis Austin: she stated that back when she was a child, there was no toothpaste. Basically they brushed their teeth with ashes and a stick. Sounds like one of those "family legends" handed down to show how hard life was back then. Sort of like "Grandpa had to walk five miles to school - uphill - each way and carried a hot potato in his pocket to keep warm in the winter."

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Happy Birthday George!


I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to my partner George! I am already busy in the kitchen making macaroni salad, cole slaw, greek tomato salad, tres leches and cherry pie for today's cookout.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

A Dog Tale: Oogy


The only connection between this story, from Main Line Animal Rescue and genealogy is the recent 50th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy: Family Pets. This is the kind of heart-warming story that just makes you think about the cycles of life, be they human or animal.

The Third Twin

When Oogy was four months old and weighed thirty five pounds he was tied to a stake and used as bait for a Pit Bull. The left side of his face from just behind his eye was torn off, including his ear. He was bitten so hard a piece of his jaw bone was crushed. Afterward, he was thrown into a cage and left to bleed to death.

I am not a religious man, but I can only conclude that at that moment God turned around and paid attention. The police raided the facility, found Oogy, and took him to Ardmore Animal Hospital, where Dr. Bianco stitched him up and saved him. This coincided with the last weekend of life for our cat, Buzzy, who was 14 at the tine. My sons and I had taken Buzzy to AAH for his last visit. The staff had gathered Buzzy in when out comes this pup to be walked that looked like nothing more than a gargoyle. He covered us with kisses. The boys and I fell instantly in love with him.

Life goes out one door and in another.

"This is one of the happiest dogs I've ever met" Dr Bianco said. "I can't imagine what he'd be like if half his face hadn't been ripped off." Then, Dr. B said, "I am not going to tell you the things this dog has been through". Dr. B's assistant, Diane, took Oogy into her home for several weeks to foster him and make sure he was safe and to crate train him. Once Oogy came into our house, for my sons, then 12, it was like having a little brother. Whatever they did and wherever they went, there was Oogy. Oogy had to get involved in whatever the lads were doing. He became known as The Third Twin.

Dr. B thought Oogy was a Pit or Pit-mix and would get to be about 45 pounds. By the time of his first check up, Oogy weighed 70 pounds. When we walked in the door for the visit one of the women who works at AAH exclaimed "That's a Dogo!" I asked, "What's a Dogo?" She said, "I'm not sure." We went on line and learned that the Dogo Argentina is bred in Argentina to hunt mountain lion and boar. Oogy can run about 30 miles an hour, all four legs off the ground like a Greyhound. His leg muscles are so strong that, when he sits, his butt is a half-inch off the ground. Dogos hunt in packs. Dogos hurl themselves against their prey and swarm it. Oogy has a neck like a fire hydrant to protect him when he closes on his prey. He is built like a Pit Bull on steroids, with white fur as soft as butter and black freckles. Fully grown, Oogy is 85 pounds of solid muscle, but he does not know this and sits on us. He absolutely craves physical contact. He is full of kisses and chuffs like a steam engine when he is happy. He has a heart as big as all outdoors. One of the traits of the breed is that they fully accept anyone their family does. It is not unusual to come home and find three teenagers on the floor playing a video game and Oogy sprawled across their laps like some living boa.

Oogy hated the crate, and would bark and bark whenever we put him in. This puzzled me because I had been told by people with crate-trained dogs that their pets love the crate and feel secure in its confines. When Oogy was about eight months old, we hired a trainer who also happened to be an animal "whisperer". We introduced her to Oogy and she sat on the floor for a full five minutes talking to him. We could not hear a word she said. When the trainer lifted her head her eyes were brimming with tears. "Oogy want you to know" she said "how much he appreciates the love and respect you have shown him." Then she asked about his routine. I started by showing her where he slept in the crate. She said immediately, "You have to get him out of that box". "Why?" "Because he associates being in a box with having his ear ripped off." It was a smack- myself-in-the-forehead moment. Oogy never went back in.

Given what Oogy endured and what he is bred for, people are constantly astonished that he loves animals and people as much as he does. Walking with Oogy is like walking with a mayoral candidate. He has to meet everyone. A number of people we encountered in the neighborhood early on told me they were afraid of Oogy because when they would walk or jog by the house Oogy would bark at them and trot parallel to them, and given his size and looks … But everyone falls in love with Oogy. By the end of their initial encounter they are rubbing, petting, even kissing him on the nose. Oogy kisses them back. Because of the way he looks, when people meet him for the first time they almost always ask if he is safe. I tell them, "Well, he has licked two people to death …"



For the first year and a half of his life, part of Oogy's face was normal and the other part looked like a burn victim's. People who saw him in passing could not grasp the duality. As Oogy grew, the scar tissue spread. He could not close his left eye, so it wept constantly; his lip was pulled up and back. Dr. B said Oogy was in constant pain. So, in January 2005, Dr. B. rebuilt Oogy's face. When all the scar tissue was removed there was a hole in Oogy's head the size of a softball. After removing the scar tissue Dr. B took grafts and pulled the flaps together and sewed Oogy back up. Now Oogy has a hairline scar, but other than that looks just like any normal one-eared dog.

An essential part of this story is the fact that AAH has never taken a dime in payment for anything they have done for Oogy. I never asked them for such an arrangement. When I went to pay the first bill I was told, "Oogy's a no-pay." I never asked why this is. Oogy is their dog. We are just lucky enough to look after him.

Because some of his jaw bone was removed in the initial surgery, some of Oogy's lower left lip droops and a repository for dust and dirt. It is second nature to us to pull the detritus off his lip when we sit next to him. One day I told my sons that when they tell their children about Oogy, they will remember this routine act of kindness. I think that, on some level, every day we try to atone for what happened to him.

Last summer Oogy had ACL surgery; his body ultimately rejected the steel plates and developed an infection so his leg had to be opened up a second time and the plates removed. When I went to pick him up following the second surgery, the Technician who brought Oogy out said, "This is a great dog, I really love him." I said, "Yep, we're lucky to have him". The Tech looked at me and said, "No, you don't understand. I see hundreds of dogs each week, and every once in awhile there is a special one. And you have him.'

When I related that story to Dr. B he said, "But we already knew that."

Oogy's name is a derivative. The first day I was told we could adopt him I was thinking, "This is one ugly dog." But we couldn't call him "Ugly." Then I went to a variation of that from my youth, "Oogly," and his name followed immediately. Two years after we named him we learned that Oogy is the name of the Ghost Dog in the film, "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

This is not inappropriate.

On a recent Saturday afternoon Oogy was curled up on the couch asleep, his head in my lap, and I was thinking about his life is now as opposed to the way his life had been before. Would he have sensed he was dying? Was he conscious when the police put him on a rubber sheet and took him to the Ardmore Animal Hospital? Oogy went to sleep in a world of terror and searing pain and awoke surrounded by angels in white coats who were kind to him, who stroked him gently and talked softly to him. Instead of people who baited and beat and kicked him, he was surrounded with healing mercies.

I realized then that Oogy probably did not know he had not died and gone to heaven. So I told him. I said, "Listen pal. It only gets better after this."

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Wordless Wednesday



Petunia Flowerbox on My Back Deck. Photograph. June 17, 2008. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

Bark! Meow! Chirp! The 50th Edition of The Carnival of Genealogy Is Available!

Head over to Bill West's West in New England to see the latest edition of The Carnival of Genealogy: Family Pets. No dog bicuits, cap nip or bird seed required - just have fun and read all the great entries.

And now yours truly has been tasked with gathering entries and doing the "rollup" for the next edition. The topic for the 51st edition of The Carnival of Genealogy will be: Independent Spirit. With the upcoming July 4th holiday, there is no more perfect time to honor someone from your family whose life can be summed up in one word – INDEPENDENT! Do you have a relative who was feisty, spoke their own mind, was a bit of a free spirit? Anyone who most people might consider a “nut” on the family tree but you know they really just followed a “different tune?” We all have at least one person whose character and habits may have made them seem “ahead of their time” and now is the chance to tell us their story.

The deadline for submissions will be July 1st. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Monday, June 16, 2008

When Old News Is New News

I know many other genea-bloggers have been chiming in on Ancestry's recent announcement concerning new additions to its historical newspaper collection. Some have wondered whether it is as big a deal as Ancestry seems to think and to be honest, I wasn't sure the new additions would help me get through some of my "brick walls."

But count me in the "big fan" camp and I too am ready to shout it from the mountain top: Ancestry's "old news" is "new news" and access is free through June 19th.

I've been dealing with the MacEntee/McEntee issue for several months - mainly trying to document whether or not my MacEntee family is really just a variation of the McEntees of Kingston, New York and vicinity.

Well one of the new additions to Ancestry's collection of historical newspapers is The Kingston Daily Freeman, from 1914 to 1950. And in it are various listings for McEntee as well as MacEntee. Interestingly, for my grandfather Abraham MacEntee, his wedding announcement in the Kingston Daily Freeman has his last name spelled as McEntee.

I still have many articles to review which mention McEntee - over 3,000 - but many simply reference a "McEntee Street" which exists to this day in downtown Kingston. Now I just wish Ancestry would allow you to use Boolean logic for searches so I could eliminate all references to McEntee Street but still pick up those with just "McEntee."

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Minyo and Princess: A Clown and a Doll

[This post was written for the 50th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene]



Here's a brief story, a dog tale in fact, of how two little white puff balls ended up in my life. Over a 14 year period while living in California, I was blessed with being able to share my ups and downs with Minyo and Princess.

Minyo - The Clown

Around the holiday season of 1990, I decided it was time for me to get a dog. I had never really had a dog in my life except for two very brief periods as a child: 1) we had a golden retriever puppy that proved to be too much to take care of and my mother wisely gave it to her brother and his family; and 2) we decided to help an elderly woman who had to give up her small dog or lose her apartment - unfortunately the dog suffered from extreme separation anxiety and we were unable to keep it.

I had researched a reputable pet shop in the West Portal district of San Francisco, making sure that they only carried puppies that came from AKC-registered parents and could be registered as purebreds. While it would have been ideal for me to adopt a dog from the local SPCA, not having had much experience in the canine world caused me concern - so knowing the breed I wanted was key. I found this cute little male puppy among a litter of other Bichon Frise puppies, brought him home and named him Minyo - a variation of the French "mignon" for small or dainty.

I selected the breed for many of its outstanding qualities and behaviors:

- they are great around children
- they are gregarious and outgoing
- they are hypo-allergenic, meaning they don't produce dander which can cause allergies
- they are smart

What I didn't bargain for was how much grooming would be involved or for how the word "smart" could really mean "devious."

Over the next few months, I took Minyo to obedience school (very important) and he basically became my best friend, sleeping with me each night and going for long walks during the day. I also got into the habit of taking him to the groomer's once a month, brushing him each day, making sure he didn't get a sunburn on hot summer days, and as you can see, dressing him up in costumes.



As for toys and treats, Minyo loved smoked pigs ears (what is it with dogs and pigs' ears?) and his favorite hedgehog toy called "Honk Honk."



Princess - The Doll

After about two years, I realized that during the day while I was at work, Minyo was miserable. Due to his gregarious nature he wanted to constantly be around people. So I decided to get another dog.

Since I was not committed to having the same breed, I went to the local SPCA to look at neutered female dogs, since that would be the best match for Minyo, having been neutered earlier. I was not expecting to find a female Bichon Frise but lo and behold, there was Princess.



Given the rarity of the breed (it all but died out during World War II and was not recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1973), I never expected that someone would give up a Bichon Frise to the pound. Normally, the dog would be taken to the Bichon Frise rescue and would be placed with someone who knew the breed.

Princess was small for her breed, a bit skittish, but of most concern was the sign on her cage which said "Unadoptable." Never avoiding a challenge, I asked the front desk about Princess, her background and why the presence of the sign. The clerk said that Princess was taken away from its previous owner by the SPCA when she was brought in. She suffered from cystitis (a bladder condition) and was prone to calcium stones which was due to improper care and mostly lack of water by the previous owner. The SPCA agreed to perform the necessary operation to save Princess' life if the woman would agree to surrender the dog (she could not afford the operation).

I asked what type of care was needed and while her condition required lots of patience, lots of water and lots of walks, the only requirement was to feed Princess a special canned food which was high in salt. This forced her to drink more water which helped reduce the risk of calcium stones.

Over the years, Princess was practically attached at my hip and would follow me from room to room. When I sat on the couch, she insisted on sitting atop the edge, wrapped around my neck. She also slept above my head on the pillow.

Princess was older than Minyo (estimated to be 6 years old when I adopted her), wiser and much more protective. The SPCA also surmised that Princess had given birth to at least one litter of puppies which increased her protective instinct.

As you can see from the photo below, ice cream was Princess' favorite food. But the deal was this: she had to sit with the Ben & Jerry's container on her head before I gave the word. Then she would toss her head and stick it in the container, running across the room trying to get every last bit.



My life with these two dogs seems light years away - they've both passed on but I know that they were an important part of my life as I hope I was an important part of theirs.

I'd love to have a dog or two right now but given my frequency of travel, it would be unfair to bring one into my life right now. But, when I retire in about 15 years, I know that I'd love to go back to sharing my life with the right dog!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera Published

If you want a nice break from the summer heat this weekend, head on inside, pour yourself a glass of iced sweet tea and spend a few moments at footMaven's new site Shades Of The Departed where she has posted "Bells and Beaus" - the 2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera - A Carnival of Images.

Are Genea-Bloggers Journalists?

This morning I was reading an interesting story that came across the Associated Press newswire entitled "Trainers Help Bloggers Hone Professionalism" and it got me to wondering: as a genea-blogger do I consider myself a journalist? Do I have the same responsibilities as a journalist in terms of fact-checking, risk of being libelous - or am I really an "opinionist"?

The crux of the article is this: many bloggers are now realizing that they can benefit from training, tips and tricks given by professional journalists. Bloggers are participating in workshops and seminars, both local and long-distance, such as those given by the Society of Professional Journalists in Chicago, in order to improve their writing and reporting skills.

When you read the article, don't be put off by the "scare tactic" tone in the beginning which, while I found un-nerving, I'm not sure applies to genea-bloggers:

"Miami real estate agent Lucas Lechuga began blogging to share his knowledge of the local market. He didn't bargain for a $25 million defamation lawsuit when he wrote that a Miami developer had gone bankrupt decades ago.

In Lake Geneva, Wis., commodities trader Gary Millitte registered the Internet domain name LakeGenevaNews.com eight years ago, but is so worried about the legal boundaries of writing online that he still hasn't started the ultra-local news site."

I think that since genea-bloggers "report" on the subject of genealogy which is all about (or should be all about) research and fact-checking, we tend to be more cautious in what we write and do much more evaluation of the message our postings convey.

I'm not sure about you, but part of my role as genea-blogger, as I see it, is educator and trainer. Many of my readers are new to genealogy and as I was, about 15 years ago, I didn't know much about citations and sources and documentation.

But given that, and since the Society of Professional Journalists is based right here in Chicago where I live, I am thinking about taking any training or seminars they might offer to bloggers.

Questions: Have you ever had a difficult situation involving one of your posts on your blog? Has it resulted in a dispute, either private (via email) or public (via counter-posting on another blog)? Is this a topic, that of "truth in blogging," that worries you?

Friday, June 13, 2008

Reminder: Saturday, June 14th Is Flag Day




I will be flying my large 8 foot by 5 foot flag off the side of my deck here in Chicago - I just wanted to remind readers that as we prepare for Father's Day on Sunday, June 15th don't forget Flag Day on Saturday, June 14th.

Also, if you have any family stories involving the Stars and Stripes I'd love to hear them!

Drops of Stars and Stripes. Photograph. July 2, 2007. Digital image. Published on Flickr by Steve Wall. 2007.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Will Download Limits Affect Genealogy Researchers?

Over the past few weeks, I have been following an interesting and potentially vexing issue: the concept of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) enforcing data download / data transfer limits as part of their terms of service.

In a nutshell, this means that your provider will limit your usage to a set amount of data each month. Once you go over that limit, you will either a) have to authorize the purchase of more data transfer allotments or b) automatically be billed a set amount for data transfer allotments that go over that monthly limit.

Example: Let's say my provider is AT&T and in the new setup it allows me a total of 12GB data transfer for the month. This means that for one month, all my Internet activity, which almost always involves data transfer (checking e-mail, visiting websites, downloading images, etc), would count against that 12GB limit. Once I go over 12GB, I would be billed $1.00 for each 1GB over the limit.

While AT&T and Time-Warner Cable have stated that they will be testing such download limits in select markets, some providers are already limiting data transfer. While Starbucks now provides free Wi-Fi access via its new customer loyalty program and uses AT&T as the provider, there is this interesting paragraph in the Terms of Service:

"You agree that all connections to the Internet via ATTIS's connectivity shall be for the limited purposes of accessing electronic mail, operating a basic web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, or downloading files via the 'ftp' protocol typically implemented in web browser programs."

As one article points out, this means you are expected to check e-mail and surf the web but not download streaming video, use Skype to make a phone call, download large photos etc. And, who still uses Netscape Navigator? LOL!

Why are ISPs considering limits all of a sudden? From data gathered by providers such as AT&T and Time Warner, it appears that the top 5% of users are responsible for between 40 - 50% of the data transfers! And, in my opinion, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is also behind this push since many of these "top 5%" users are involved with illegal downloads of music, movies, etc.

So, what will this mean to me as a genea-blogger or genealogist performing on-line research?

First, it is yet to be proven that such limits will be imposed on the home user. AT&T and Time-Warner are performing tests in test markets, and usually a company selects a test market that they know ahead of time will give them positive results. And given the size of AT&T as an ISP, it has the ability to affect the entire market which will allow other ISPs to quickly follow suit.

Second, I would hope they would allow home users to check their data transfers for a month or two. Meaning, allow me to go to a website and see on the 15th of the month how much data I have downloaded. This would give me an idea as to my data transfer habits etc.

Third, if limits are imposed, I along with many others will need to reconsider downloading large databases, PDFs, books, opening e-mails with large attachments etc. And, I won't be clearing out my Internet cache as often (cached pages that haven't changed won't count against your download limit).

I'm interested to hear what other genea-bloggers think about this concept. How might it affect you? Do you think it is fair? Do you think it will work?

Links to recent news article:

AT&T Embraces BitTorrent, May Consider Usage-Based Pricing

Broadband Providers Cap Monthly Usage

Starbucks Wi-Fi Comes with AT&T Limits

Time Warner Cable Tries Metering Internet Use

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Obituary Photos

There seems to be a raging discussion in the Dear Abby column today as to the use of obituary photos in newspapers and whether a photo should be "current" or show the deceased in the prime of their life.

For years, I was of the belief that the photo should be current but now that I've been exposed to more and more family photographs and reading blogs such as Shades Of the Departed, I am in agreement with most people: photos from the deceased's "prime of life" time are much better.

When newspapers first started running photos in obituaries (and it is a money-maker since it increases the cost of the announcement), I thought it was misleading to see a photo of an 84 year old woman that looked as if she were 34. Thinking that Cher had nothing on this woman, I would usually have to reread the obituary to make sure the age at time of death wasn't 48 instead of 84.

And putting aside valid reasons such as there not being any current photos of the deceased available, as I grow older I can see the wisdom of using a photo from the earlier years of the departed. In my mind, I often see myself as 25 or 30 and not my current mid-40s age. And as the aging process progresses, I'm sure I will keep this perspective.

An obituary for many is not just an announcement of one's passing. It is a short summary of one's life - achievements, successes, losses, battles - and should sum up the "essence" of that person.

Look at the poll in the upper right about this topic and cast your vote. And - if you could select one photo that depicted your "essence," which photo would that be?

Wordless Wednesday



Ethel McCrickert, Dulcide McCrickert (l to r, back row), Matthew McCrickert and John B. McCrickert, Jr (l to r, front row). Photograph. ca. 1935. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

A Small Town Wedding

This post was composed for the 2nd Edition of Smile For The Camera ~ A Carnival of Images



Jacqueline Austin MacEntee and Richard MacEntee. Photograph. July 1, 1961. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

I've been to so many weddings back in my hometown of Liberty, New York - population 4,000 - and I am certain that the wedding of my parents followed much of the same traditions and protocols. You have to realize that, and it is no joke, my hometown was and continues to be about 40 miles from nowhere. When I try to describe the atmosphere to various people, they can't image a place being only 90 miles from New York City yet being so isolated. As I grew up, I felt that Liberty was 90 years from New York City, and like most youth, could not wait to graduate from high school and leave.

As for weddings, there were no banquet halls; one always knew that a wedding reception was either at a firehouse, the Grange Hall, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the Fireman's Park or someone's backyard. Food was more often cooked by several women in town who served as the "caterers" for these locations and the type of food served depended on which location you selected. If I remember correctly, the Knights served Italian, the firehouse or the Fireman's park might hold a cookout if the weather were cooperative, and all the others served what we called "homemade food."

I was lucky enough to inherit the wedding album for my parents who were married on July 1, 1961 in Liberty at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on North Main Street.

I know that my parents did not have a lot of money when they got married - my mother's gown was the "something borrowed" since it was loaned to her by her older sister Jo'El Austin DeStefano who was married in September 1956. The reception was held at the Grange Hall in town and the food was, to me, the best kind - homemade.



Alfred Austin and Jacqueline Austin. Photograph. July 1, 1961. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.



Richard MacEntee and Jacqueline Austin MacEntee. Photograph. July 1, 1961. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.



Jacqueline Austin. Photograph. July 1, 1961. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.

I never remembered these images growing up, probably because the wedding would last a little over nine years. I think my favorite photo is the one of my mother in the mirror.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

49th Edition of Carnival of Genealogy Is Posted!

If you haven't taken a look yet, get yourself over to Creative Gene where Jasia has posted the Swimsuit Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy!

No, there are no photos of me in a speedo or a thong so if that is your only intent please don't waste your time. But if you want to read some great posts from other genea-bloggers about swimsuits and summer fun, then make a visit!

And coming up for the 50th Edition of the COG, Bill West at West In New England will be hosting with the topic being Family Pets! And no, the Dog Days of Summer are not a family pet.

Wordless Wednesday



Joan and Jo'el Austin. Photograph. ca. 1945. Digital image. Privately held by Thomas MacEntee, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Chicago, Illinois. 2008.