After my morning workout, I sat down to my computer and began reading my favorite blogs. I really don't have much time during the week to do this kind of reading, so I really look forward to my Saturday morning quiet time. Now I was aware of Genealogy Wise, and even wrote a short post about it, but only spent enough time there to accept the few friends requests I've received and to check out how many people had joined the site. Imagine my surprise when I read Craig Manson's post this morning and discovered there was an honest-to-God, juicy, and controversy filled genealogy scandal...and I missed the whole thing!
Just the other day I was thinking about writing a post about the lack of scandals in the genealogy world that we used to have. When I first started blogging in October 2006, I came on board at the tail end of what appeared to be a very robust "discussion" about just what a "professional genealogist" was. There were harsh words,hurt feelings, and I don't know if anything was ever resolved. I missed the main part of the conflict, but it sure sounded exciting and was sorry didn't get to see the good stuff in near real time.
Things were quiet for a time, and then Ancestry.com broke the boredom when its Internet Biographical Collection (IBC) came on the scene. There were accusations that Ancestry was hijacking content without permission and the genealogy blogosphere responded with venom like never before. Randy Seaver wrote a post providing a round up of blog posts on the issue. Little did Ancestry know the pain it was going to bring on itself when it quietly released the IBC. I think, as a result of this scandal, Ancestry all of a sudden realized that it's probably wise to communicate regularly with the genealogy blogging community. Craig also wrote a series of articles on the legal issues involved in the scandal.
This current Genealogy Wise scandal seemed to have almost everything you want in a scandal - money, censorship, talk of porn (i don't know how this came in), and finally an apology. Almost everything we really want to see in a scandal...and I'm sorry I missed the whole dang thing...it sounded like great fun.
Craig,
In my experience, it takes two to cause a scandal...and you are right, people will never learn.
Sheri,
I try to find humor in most everything! But it seems to me many people in genealogy are entirely too serious...
Thanks to both for commenting.
Tim
Posted by: tim agazio | July 20, 2009 at 08:41 AM
I am so glad that I am not the only person who can see the humor in this kind of stuff!
Posted by: Sheri Fenley | July 20, 2009 at 07:35 AM
Tim,
I asked the not-so-rhetorical question, "Will people never learn?" The answer is "no," if history tells us anything. So there will be another "scandal" coming along anytime . . . .
Posted by: Craig Manson | July 18, 2009 at 01:40 PM