Exquisite torture

Problems!    We got problems?    This is one of those good/bad problems.    You hope for the match but when it comes we haven't any information on the matching line.

As hoped/expected(?) Robert, #160, matches Bill, #73, 36/37, differing only at CDYa.

Hm-m-m-m-m.    What to call this 'family'?    Bill has a Madison/Orange/Culpeper Co. paper trail but his DNA doesn't match the Madison Co. Berrys.

Now we really need that help with Robert's yAncestry.

Pipeline

Well, I was hoping for a little better response to FTDNA's recent Upgrade Sale, but it is what it is.    Here's our current pipeline -

Ten Things To Know About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

1.    Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the bench than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years.    Over her three-decade career, she has served in a wide variety of legal roles, including as a prosecutor, litigator, and judge.

2.    Judge Sotomayor is a trailblazer.    She was the first Latina to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was the youngest member of the court when appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York.    If confirmed, she will be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3.    While on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has consistently protected the rights of working Americans, ruling in favor of health benefits and fair wages for workers in several cases.

4.    Judge Sotomayor has shown strong support for First Amendment rights, including in cases of religious expression and the rights to assembly and free speech.

5.    Judge Sotomayor has a strong record on civil rights cases, ruling for plaintiffs who had been discriminated against based on disability, sex and race.

6.    Judge Sotomayor embodies the American dream.    Born to Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in a South Bronx housing project and was raised from age nine by a single mother, excelling in school and working her way to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and to become an editor of the Law Journal at Yale Law School.

7.    In 1995, Judge Sotomayor "saved baseball" when she stopped the owners from illegally changing their bargaining agreement with the players, thereby ending the longest professional sports walk-out in history.

8.    Judge Sotomayor ruled in favor of the environment and against business interests in 2007 in a case of protecting aquatic life in the vicinity of power plants, a decision that was overturned by the Roberts Supreme Court.

9.    In 1992, Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate without opposition after being appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush.

10.    Judge Sotomayor is a widely respected legal figure, having been described as "...an outstanding colleague with a keen legal mind," "highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence, collegiality and good character would be assets," and "a role model of aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and integrity."

Sources:

1.    White House Statement, May 26, 2009.

2.    White House Statement, May 26, 2009.

3.    Cases: Archie v. Grand Cent. Partnership, 997 F. Supp. 504 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) and Marcella v. Capital Dist. Physicians' Health Plan, Inc., 293 F.3d 42 (2d Cir. 2002).

4.    Cases: Flamer v. White Plains, 841 F. Supp. 1365 (S.D.N.Y. 1993), Ford v. McGinnis, 352 F.3d 382 (2d Cir. 2003), and Campos v. Coughlin, 854 F. Supp. 194 (S.D.N.Y. 1994).

5a.    "Sotomayor's Notable Court Opinions and Articles," The New York Times, May 26, 2009.

5b.    Cases: Bartlett v. N.Y. State Board, 970 F. Supp. 1094 (S.D.N.Y. 1997), Greenbaum v. Svenska Hendelsbanken, 67 F.Supp.2d 228 (S.D.N.Y. 1999), Raniola v. Bratton, 243 F.3d 610 (2d Cir. 2001), and Gant v. Wallingford Board of Education, 195 F.3d 134 (2d Cir. 1999).

6.    "Sonia Sotomayor: 10 Things You Should Know," The Huffington Post, May 26, 2009.

7.    "How Sotomayor 'Saved' Baseball," Time, May 26, 2009.

8.    "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.

9.    "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.

10a.    Judge Richard C. Wesley, a George W. Bush appointee to the Second Circuit.

10b.    "Sotomayor is Highly Qualified," The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2009.

10c.    Honorary Degree Citation, Pace University School of Law, 2003 Commencement.

Memorial Day

Killed in Iraq

Attention must be paid.

FTDNA's Upgrade Sale ends tomorrow, presumably at midnight in some time zone.    Probably be best not to take a chance on which time zone.    So far only four of you have taken advantage of the offer.    I'm a bit surprised that there aren't more of you.

Every one of you should have tested to at least 37 markers.    Without naming names, one Augusta/Washington Co. Berry could do this for $35; one Madison Co. Berry could do it for $35 and one for $69; three Berry Plain Berrys could upgrade to 37 markers for $69 each; three Benton Co. Berrys could for $35 each and one for $69; one Faires Berry could for $35 and one for $69; one New Jersey Berry for $35; one Effingham Co. Berry for $35 and one for $69; ; one Spartanburg Co., SC Berry for $35 and one for $69; Both English Colony Berrys, each for $69; and one NEW Berry for $35.

Don't take a chance on whether you may miss the deadline.

Happy Birthday, Susan!

More Newsy Bits

Problems!    We got problems?    Yes, we do.    The first 12 markers of Robert Crim Berry's, #160, Y-DNA37 order came in yesterday and those markers match Bill's, #73, first 12 markers!    If Robert had responded to our request and shared his yAncestry with us we'd have some idea whether this was just another 'false-positive' 12 marker match or whether it may be a harbinger of something very interesting.    Anyone know Robert?    Want to put in a good word for us?

In addition, Bob, #46, is determined to do what he can to solve a particular East Tennessee Berry family puzzle that he has become interested in.    To that end he has sponsored John C. Barry to a Y-DNA37 test.    John will be Participant #167.    In addition, Bob has provided John's yAncestry which is posted, for now, with the Unassigned Berrys.

Rod, #146, is taking advantage of the Upgrade Sale by ordering his Y-Refine37to67 upgrade.    He'll be the first and I'd count this as a challange to the rest of you Faires Berrys.

So is David, #159.    He's also bumping his clear to 67 markers for the Madison Co. Berry family.

Remember   -   if you're thinking about upgrading, this sale only lasts until the end of this week but you can save yourself a whole weeks' waiting time by doing it before the close of business tomorrow when they ship their batches out.

Spam blogger?

This is part blog post and part test.    I've just been notified that my blog posting has been blocked because I'm suspected of being a 'spam blogger'.


The test part is when I try to publish this and see whether I'm really blocked or whether I just have to jump through some hoops like a CAPTCHA thingy.

This is my notice.    I suspect that there won't be a human around to take a look at it until sometime tomorrow.

If you're able to see this I've only had to pass a CAPTCHA verification to get it published.

UPDATE:   I'm wrong on several counts.    Well, at least maybe about the human.    It seems that while I was writing the above blog post my block/lock disappeared.    A couple of times while writing it I had to go through a CAPTCHA to save it but when it came time to publish, that had all disappeared, as well as the notices memorialized above.

Upgrade sale

In case you missed it, FTDNA is having an Upgrade Sale.    It is good through May 23rd.    Discounts are about 25% off FTDNA's usual price.    If you have any interest in getting more markers, and all of you who have less than 37 markers should, you should place your order by the close of business this coming Wednesday to save yourself a week of waiting time in addition to your monetary savings.

Whether to upgrade to 67 markers is a bit more problematical.    Within family groups there don't seem to have been many variations in this final panel, but there have been some.    If someone else in your family has already done so that should be more incentive for you to, but then, someone has to be first.    Why not you?

With the discount applied, upgrades cost:

                                Y-Refine12to25          $ 35
                                Y-Refine12to37            69 
                                Y-Refine12to67           148

                                Y-Refine25to37            35
                                Y-Refine25to67           114

                                Y-Refine37to67            79

To give a little context, FTDNA appears to hold these upgrade sales about this time every year but only once a year.    You should strike while the iron is hot, to coin a phrase.    There may not be another opportunity until next year.

OK - That wasn't the deal - here's the deal

Remember, day before yesterday, speaking of the Faires Berrys I said that David, #161, will be taken care of when his Y-DNA26-37 panel is reported vis-a-vis his membership in the Faires Berry family?    Well it has now been reported and I'll have to say that it looks to me that we don't know any more than we did before.

Here's the Faires Berry's genetic distance table I was talking about when he had only 25 markers reported -
and here's the current genetic distance table with David's 37 markers -Does that look any better to you?    Only slightly.    Let's hope that Dennis, #31, decides to take advantage of the opportunity FTDNA's upgrade sale offers.

David and Dennis look very close to each other so far but almost seem separated from the rest of the Faires Berrys.

Let's see how these folks diagram out -Not so unusual.    Not as tight as some but . . . .

Another from Ancestry.com

We have another new member, Ken Barry, #166, whose Ancestry.com results have just been included in the Project.    To see whether Ken matched anyone else in the Project, I ran a Project-wide genetic distance comparison table, the results of which can be see if you click here -Unfortunately, Ken doesn't match anyone else yet.    If you are interested, his yAncestry is available on the unassigned Berrys yAncestry page.

OK - Here's the deal

Either FTDNA has caught up with their backlog or they're getting very efficient.    David's, #161, first two panels, Y-DNA1-25, of his Y-DNA37 order came in yesterday, again almost a month before 'expected'.    It sort of looks like he could be a Faires Berry but we won't know for sure until his last panel is done.

Here's the Faires Berry's genetic distance table showing what I mean -
It looks like David will be taken care of when his Y-DNA26-37 panel is reported but what about Dennis, #31?    His results look a little iffy for being a member of the Faires Berry family.    What to do?

SALE! FTDNA is having an 'Upgrade sale" from today until May 23rd with upgrade prices reduced, on average, 25%.    I don't know the exact price but that would make Dennis' Y-DNA26-37 about $35 (was $49).    Maybe Dennis will spring for that, or maybe some of you other Faires Berrys who might care.

For the rest of you who may have an interest in upgrading, FTDNA will notify each participant in the database who qualifies for this offer by e-mail, and will provide you a direct link you may use to take advantage of the upgrade.    There will be no need for participants to contact them directly in order to receive the reduced price.    The prices have been adjusted in the system.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMA'S PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION

The choice of a public health insurance plan is crucial to real health care reform.    But right now, it's being smeared by conservatives and insurance-industry front groups.    Here's what you really need to know:

1. Choice, choice, choice.    If the public option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare.    If you like your current care, you can keep it.    If you don't—or don't have any—you can get the public insurance plan.

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors.    Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they're not just focused on short-term profits.    And if you choose the public plan, you'll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.

3. We'll all save a bunch of money.    The public option won't have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it'll cost a lot less.    Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.

4. It will always be there for you and your family.    A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls.    The public option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.

5. And it's a key part of universal health care.    No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage.    The public option will be available and accessible to everyone.    And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.

Please share this with your friends.

Unusual results!

John, #142, a member of the Augusta/Washington Co. Berry family received the final panel (Y-DNA26-37) of his Y-DNA37 order yesterday   -  and they are very unusual.    John has two multi-step mutations in two of his fast moving markers, DYS570 and CDYa.    Two steps at DYS570 and four steps at CDYa!    Don't yet know what to make of this.

You can see John's and the rest of the family's haplotype values here.

Thought we might take a look at how these might diagram out.    Here's the last cladogram from last December -
And here's yesterday's, keeping the participants as close to their December placement as I could while still making room for our new #142 -
Isn't that interesting.    I wonder when someone will show up who fills the spot now held by median vector 1?

Also, I got an answer from one of the folks who tested at Ancestry.com and his results match our Fayette Co. Berry family.    He is Roger Dale Berry and is our new participant #165.    His results, yancestry and comparison tables are all posted on the site and I welcome you all to take a look at them.

And finally, Bill, #79, got his much delayed results for his DYS464X test from the Palindromic Pack.    His results are 15c-15c-17c-17c.    Huh?    Sorry, I just don't have any idea what that means.

Three years! Who'da guessed?

We began this blog three years ago today without any real expectations for the future.    We began with a Project Update so maybe today we'll just compare where we are with where we were.

At that time we had 64 Y-DNA members and 2 mtDNA members, plus two of our Y-DNA members had also done their mtDNA.    Now we have 165 Y-DNA members, 9 mtDNA members and at least 12 of our Y-DNA members have also done their mtDNA.

Then we had results back for 62 of those and they represented 39 separate and unrelated to one another Berry families.    Today we have results for 175 folks who represent 72 separate, distinct and unrelated to one another Berry families!

Our largest group is still the Augusta/Washington Co. Berrys now with 26 members.

The Madison Co. Berrys have replaced the Benton Co. Berrys as our next largest group with 14 members, followed by the Benton Co. Berrys and the Orange Co., NC Berrys with 11 members each.    Then the Berry Plain Berrys with 10 and the Faires Berrys with 9 members.

We've had a couple of 'disappointments' and a few surprises.    Surprises are nicer but disappointments enable us to focus our efforts where they will be more productive instead of continuuing to try to prove a relationship that doesn't exist.

This is why I go to West Virginia

Here's a snippet from a DVD my friend Dwight Diller just did called West Virginia Mountain Music.    Even from this short 3 minute segment of the hour long DVD you can get a glimmer of why I love West Virginia.    The scenes are from Pocahontas County, Dwight's home and one of the more wild counties of this 'Wild and Wonderful' state.

If you're at all uptight just watch this short film and you're guaranteed to come out of it feeling mellow and right with the world.



You can read more about it here.

If you want more, for purchase information:
Elaine Diller
ediller@gmail.com
304-653-4397
paypal/checks/all credit cards accepted

Almondbury Berry Family

The Almondbury Berry Family has a new member.    Gordon Berry, #164, just received his 43 marker test results from Ancestry.com and suggested that he matched Brian, #49.    He apparently didn't know about Brian, #132, whom he also matches, my guess is because Brian, #132, hasn't uploaded his results to Ysearch.

The Almondbury Berry Family marker results may be seen here.

Here are genetic distances and TMRCA.You'll notice that this TMRCA was done to a probability of 95%.

Solid! - maybe ancestral?

The balance of David's, #159, Y-DNA37 test came in yesterday, one month early!    David is indeed a Madison Co. Berry.    Solidly so.    So solidly that he may represent the ancestral haplotype.    David is the only Madison Co. Berry each of whom's alleles is among the majority of the Madison Co. guys allele values.    Hard to say what I mean!    I mean that each allele value of David's haplotype agrees with that same allele value for a majority of the other Madison Co. Berrys.

Maybe the way to say it is to say that David's haplotype IS the modal haplotype.    Or, since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words   -  remember that last 37 marker Madison Co. cladogram we did last December, here -
and recall our discussion of median vectors in this post?

Well, look who took the place of that median vector in today's 37 marker cladogram -As we can see, this cladogram is forming a very nice star pattern, thought to be an indication of the ancestral haplotype.

While we're talking about Madison Co. Berrys we might as well take a look at their genetic distance and TMRCA tables.

First we'll have a look at the Madison Co. Berry haplotypes -
Next, their genetic distances -

and finally, the table of 75% probability that the common ancestors of Project members compared is no more than the number of years stated, which includes a 25% possibility that it is longer -

The case for DNA testing

I recently received this message from a disappointed DNA tester, "I now see that I was naïve in thinking I would be able to find a Barry relative through the submittal of my DNA."    I thought it might be educational to share my response to 'disappointed'.    Here it is:

On the contrary, DNA testing was an excellent way to find a Barry relative.    Just because you haven't yet done so doesn't mean that the next person who tests might not be the one.    My family is the Augusta/Washington Berrys, color coded purple.    Despite the best efforts of several excellent researchers we have never been able to pin down the boat, port or date when our immigrant ancestors arrived, and only assumed that we are Scots-Irish.    Through DNA testing we have discovered closely related persons in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa whose ancestors emigrated from Ireland to those places over 100 years after our folks came here.    We still don't know boat, port or date but we can work at it from both ends now.

The other benefit we've gotten from DNA testing is telling us which avenues of research were just futile.    For the longest time most of us were convinced that we were related to Samuel Berry, the 'founder' of the Benton Co. Berry family, color coded gold.    We were all in Washington Co., Virginia at the same time.    But DNA testing has shown us that we are not related so we can give up that disappointing, and sometimes expensive, pursuit.

And anyone you find through your regular genealogy, encourage them to DNA test also.    A good way to confirm or disprove your genealogical research.

New Participant

In their continuing quest, Bill, #79, and C.E., #77, have recruited a new Participant, Curtis, #163, for a Y-DNA67 test.

Our current pipeline is -

Apple Blossom

This is the Apple Blossom Festival weekend here in Winchester, VA.    I'm not going to post a very comprehensive review here, but rather what my son, Jon, calls 'slices'.    (or was that 'slivers'?)

On Friday it's the Fireman's Parade, lots of fire trucks - with spectators -
On Saturday, first it's the Apple Blossom 10K.    The leaders -and the Bloomers -
Phantom and I took a walk down to the staging area where Betty was on the Ft. Collier float waiting for their turn in the Grand Feature Parade -
Bands -
Elephants -
Betty's float -
Big floats -
Bands -
More bands -
Tractors -
At the end of the parade, spectators fill the streets -
and folks gather their belongings -
and all the unsold trinkets head for the next event -