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Midwest Computer Genealogy
Newsletter for May 2002
 Volume 9 Number 5

The Midwest Computer Genealogy group meets the 3rd Saturday of each month in the Community room at Bannister Mall.  The meetings start at 9 AM.  Enter the mall the south main mall entrance on the east side of the building.  The community room entrance is to the left once inside the mall entrance doors.

Our May 18th program will be the delayed presentation by Jack Revare who will describe his experiences writing and publishing a family history book.

To volunteer or make suggestions for programs please contact Judy Revare at Judy@revare.com or Jack Revare at Jack@revare.com. Judy is the group program chairperson.

The FOG (Family Origins) users group will meet June 1, 2002 from 09:00 am - 11:00
at the Blue Valley Library, 151st and Antioch.

Rowena sent us a few comments about the April FOG meeting and its speaker:    Barbara Brown has some good information for us regarding the 1930 census and I'm sending it on to you.  "Here's the helpful web link for the Enumeration District street index for selected cities:  http://home.pacbell.net/spmorse/census/

This link includes some cities (including Kansas City) not included in M1931 at the National Archives. Microfilm publications at the Archives include:

1. T1224 - Descriptions of Census Enumeration Districts

2. M1930 - Enumeration District Maps, 1930 Census (Some quite poor)

3. M1931 - Index to selected city streets and enumeration districts, 1930 census."

To go directly to the FOG page use this URL: http://chezjacq.com/MCG.htm#FOG
or you can contact Rowena at snowtop@juno.com for more information.

Well it is that time of year again when we must turn our attention to the big political things in life that will dominate and effect our lives from here on. I am speaking of the fact that June will be Midwest Computer Genealogist's "Annual Meeting". At our annual meeting we are to elect officers for the new year which starts in July.  Officers consist of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasure, and Program Chairperson. Dues are to be paid in July (or before) for the coming year, a staggering sum of twelve dollars. We are still living on the outer edge of life as far as our meeting place is concerned. I have talked to the people that claim to be in charge of the "Community Room" rental, and have been sort of reassured that we won't be kicked out, maybe, but no one "In Charge" apparently has the authority to commit to an agreement for the future. I guess being in that kind of position must have its own set of frustrations. I can imagine what it is like "being in charge" but having no "authority". The last time I talked to one of the non-authoritarians in charge, I was sort of told  don't call me, I will call you --- but they have not called me, and I will again attempt to contact them before our next meeting. I have asked Lois Scully, Barbara Brown, Earl Jefferson, and Jerry Stephenson to serve on the nominating committee. They will present a slate of candidates for election at the June "Annual Meeting".

I know you are just really waiting with anticipation to read the rest of my article this month, so here it is. This "OLD House" we live in was built around the turn of the previous century and was on the out side edge of the big city of Odessa, located at the corner of College and Second streets. I assume this was before there was a water system in Odessa, because there is a well located about 20 feet west of our house. There once was a "windmill" located on top of the well, with water piped into the house. The "windmill" is gone but the pipe that extends into the basement of our house still exists. Most of the time this is no problem, but on certain occasions when we have an especially wet spring the well water level gets high enough that the pipe leading into the basement is under water. Now I think you can figure out what happens next. You guest it, we have a stream running through our basement. Usually it runs on out as fast as it runs in and we just get a free basement floor washing. In the 41 years we have lived here the water level in out basement has reached unacceptable levels on maybe two occasions. Fortunately, no damage has ever been done, and there is something rather pleasant and soothing about setting beside a quietly running stream, and just relaxing. It makes it even more pleasant when you do not have to put up with all of the more unpleasant aspects of nature, like, bugs, flies, snakes, etc and yet you have the pleasure of hearing and watching a quiet running stream in total relaxation. Now that's living folks, its one of those things that only come around once or twice in life --- at least that is what you hope for. You may also need to know that all of my computer stuff has been kicked out of the living part of our house (where all of the people live) and designated to the basement "Dog House" section. So here I am sitting in my small boat trying to write my next to last article for this newsletter. It is entirely possible that I have already been passed over by an unforgiving dead line. Did I just hear applause in the background? Well even if this one gets in under the wire, there will only be one more after this --- then you can start getting something good to read. Well I had better paddle my way out of here before I actually get washed down the drain, and headed into yet another new adventure.

See you Saturday May 18, 2002

 Wayne

Minutes of the MCG Meeting on April 20. 2002

Wayne Boydston called the meeting to order and welcomed the visitors. We will continue to meet at Bannister Mall as long as the room is available. The Bannister Mall personnel do not know when that will be.

 Rowena Shaffer recommended Myra Gormley's article "Maps are invaluable research aids". Her column, entitled "Shaking Your Family Tree", appears each Thursday in the FYI section of The Kansas City Star. Rowena will e-mail a copy to you if you missed it. She also reported that the Bureau of Land Management has a web site.

Judy Revare introduced the speaker, Tom Leathers, who is publisher of "The Squire" and owner of Leathers Publishing. He brought many of the books his company has prepared. He described the choice of papers, covers, the methods of submitting material and the procedure that leads to a bid and then a completed book. A part of their service is to obtain a copyright and an ISBN number. He has three people in the office who serve as book coordinators. The company phone is 913-498-2625. The company is located at 4500 College in Leawood.

Submitted by Mary Robinson, co-secretary

Viruses have been making the rounds lately namely the Klez deal.  I got 21 email that Norton said were infected including the one that said there was a virus going around and that the present virus software would not detect it but if you would open the attachment it would fix your machine against it.  They are getting sneaky these days.  I had seen warnings about it on the Norway list so was looking for it.  Funny thing everything said my machine was clean but I supposedly sent out a couple of messages that I have no record of in the out box and one of them came back from the mail admin to an address I had never seen.  How did my computer generate it I don't know but a virus tech told me it was possible for a hacker to maybe get into the server database and do his thing.  I called WorldNet but their answer was a expected "that is not our job call Norton".  I also went to a site that has housecall and downloaded it to check my computer and it said I was ok.  It will take a while the first time to get it in and then leave it connected to the internet while it does its thing. The site for housecall is http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Like to see space pictures than go to www.spaceweather.com .  When I checked it out there was a lot of Aurora Borealis pictures from around the world and they were very colorful, reminded me of my time in Minnesota and going out and looking at the northern skies in the evenings or night time for the color in the skies.  Of course Alaska had them also.

Looking for mail rates around the world then check out http://www.usps.gov or http://www.usps.com It will give you the rates and delivery times for countries in the world that you may send mail to.

From the Norway list here is a new site, that may make searching the IGI easier. Use this new search feature here: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/IGIBatchNumbers.htm

Last but not the least here is a contribution called computer problem from J. Suman:

And he replied, "It was an ID Ten T Error."

"What's an ID Ten T Error, in case I need to fix it again?"

He grinned. "Haven't you ever heard of an ID Ten T Error?"

"No," I replied.

"Write it down," he said, "and I think you'll figure it out."

I wrote: I D 1 0 T

Anyone have an item of interest that they would like to have published or listed in this newsletter? Could use some items and it would save me some effort at times so didn't have to go looking for things or is the President and secretary reports all that is needed?  Lets hear some comments as it is your newsletter or should say the group's newsletter and it should represent the group!

Contact members of the group are as follows: