"Three Hilariously Dangerous Projects"

Another dank, dark, gloomy Friday here in New England.

I dunno about you, but I could use some cheerin' up.

When I saw the link below this morning, it definitely took the edge off.

You may ask:

What does this have to do with genealogy?

I may answer:  Abso-freakin'-lutely  nothin'.  But it's funny as hell.

Okay.  Well, does it keep within the theme of this blog?  Is it a "historic mystery"?

People building scary-dangerous stuff in their own homes 60 years ago?  I guess that qualifies as historic.  If some of this stuff blew up, it would qualify as epic, even.

Well, then, where's the mystery?

The only mystery here is why anyone would attempt to actually DO this stuff.  But they did.  And lived to tell about it.  Singed hair and scars not withstanding.

So, without further ado, I present to you "Three Hilariously Dangerous DIY Projects from Old Magazines", courtesy of Cracked.com.  #mayhem #injury #happyfriday.

http://bit.ly/YukO4e

A "Solved" History!

Happy, sunny Monday!  This is definitely NOT an "Unsolved History", but it's fascinating nonetheless!

These amazing pics trace the trail of infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde - enjoy!

http://bit.ly/14MhZxT

"No Place on Earth"

This is amazing: a piece on the ABC News web site describes a group of Jewish families who survived the war by hiding in caves.  It's the ultimate genealogy story.  These people went to extraordinary lengths to survive - for the sake of their children, their religion, their legacy.

A new documentary traces the life stories of these 38 families who dwelled in darkness for almost two years.  It's called "No Place on Earth".  I cannot WAIT to see it.  It's only playing in select cities right now.  

It's an uplifting tale on this somber Holocaust Remembrance Day - the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.  It echoes the joy of all who were saved that day - and honors the memories of the six million Jews who were not.

Please pause and think today for the millions who were lost - and the millions more who had to continue living without them.

Here's a link to the ABC News video:

http://abcn.ws/16BhIdz

What's The Bang For Your (Virtual) Buck?

To the many friends, soon-to-be friends, and colleagues who have joined me here, and/or "liked" my page - once again, thank you so much!

By giving me that little "thumbs-up, you have invested a nanosecond of thought and energy on behalf of my venture.  Many of you have invested a bit of emotion as well, by expressing your sincere wishes that my venture will be successful.  For all of the above, I'm grateful.

But here's the rub - the FB page is new.  Truth be told, there's hardly any content on it - yet.

So, what exactly is there to "like"?  Or dislike, for that matter?

At this point, not a lot.

So, what do you get for your "investment"?  Maybe I should have explained that before asking you to "pay" your way in with your "likes".  In any event, I can still explain it now.

Here's what you'll get - my thoughts on, adventures in, and dissection of various aspects of forensic genealogy.  The blog - which will also post to my FB page - will focus on my main interests:

•  Finding lost or missing heirs for attorneys (not random heir searching);
•  Adoption search, both present-day and historical;
•  Research methods - particularly re: finding the living
•  Musings on unsolved historic mysteries - both those that I and others are investigating
• The provenance belonging to fascinating antique or historical objects 

Here's what you won't get:

• "Traditional" genealogy posts - i.e., focusing on Mayflower passengers, Rev. War patriots, and the like* (see below)
• Gushing posts about the lives of my own ancestors (unless there's a research lesson to be learned).  Either way, no gushing allowed - it tends to stain the documents.
• Lengthy, agonizing monologues about the proper location of a semi-colon or smiley face in a citation.  Life is way too short.

* These are, of course, entirely worthwhile and valid topics.  But they've been covered elsewhere, over and over again, by people with particular expertise in these subjects.  It doesn't make sense to cover them again here.

So, now you know what the bang is for your virtual "buck".  Will you stick around?  Or will you turn in your ticket and ask for a refund?  Guess we'll have to wait and see.

One thing's for sure, though.  The onus is now on me - to provide interesting, enlightening content on a consistent basis.  That's the only way I'll get to retain that "like".  I promise to do my best.  I can't stand the thought of standing behind that virtual "returns" counter, dealing with dissatisfied "customers" who want their "likes" back.  I've never wanted to work in retail - it's too hard on my feet.