Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

TX & CA RECORDS REMOVED FROM INTERNET

 The Texas and California birth and death indexes formerly on Rootsweb.com and the vital records office websites of their respective states have been removed due to questions concerning privacy.

TEXAS BIRTH AND DEATH INDEXES NOW OFFLINE

 Several months ago the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics temporarily took the Texas birth indexes off their website and requested Rootsweb.com to do the same. On December 6 the TBVS permanently removed all birth and death indexes from their website.

 An announcement on the TBVS website at http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/bvs/default.htm states the indexes have been removed due to the possibility of being used fraudulently to obtain another's identity or to reveal the identities of those involved in an adoption.

 According to Texas state law birth records are considered open after 50 years and death records are considered open after 25 years. A law passed in the last legislature was created to clarify the accessibility of the birth and death indexes. The indexes to birth and death records are open to the public as long as no identifying information is in the records. Identifying information basically refers to the names of parents, particularly, those involved in an adoption.

 In Texas there are two types of birth and death indexes, Summary and General. Summary indexes are those indexes usually available for public viewing. As a rule, it has enough information to identify a birth or death, but, does not identify the parents. General indexes, on the other hand, usually contain the identifying information, such as, the names of parents. Normally, the latter index is used by county and state officials in their everyday duties.

CALIFORNIA BIRTH & DEATH RECORDS CLOSED

 In late November a series of articles appeared in California newspapers raising concerns of privacy due to the availability of California birth and death information online. On December 5, California Governor Gray Davis issued an executive order closing birth and death indices to the public for 45 days.

 Under California law birth and death indices are public records. The Department of Health Services made the indexes available on their website and legally sold CD-ROMs them to attorneys and information dealers for about $900.  Rootsweb.com was one of 10 companies which purchased the CD-ROMs. On their website Rootsweb.com reformatted the indexes with an easy to use online searchable database. Rootsweb.com removed the database after being requested to do so by state lawmakers.

 For links to the latest news articles on this controversy visit http://www.polbox.com/g/genpol/ca.htm .

 BLM OFFLINE

 On Wednesday December 5 Federal District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered all computers within the custody and control of the U.S. Department of Interior, its employees and contractors to disconnect their internet access and shut down the Department's external network connections. The directive includes access to the National Park Service's website and  Bureau of Land Management's popular Government Land Office database.

 According to an Associated Press report a court appointed watchdog and computer expert were able to break into the Department's website and manipulate data in the Indian trust funds. When Government attorneys admitted they could not guarantee the security of Indian money the court ordered all Department of Interior websites disconnected.

 Following an emergency hearing on December 8 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) were allowed to reconnect to the Internet. The two agencies maintain websites important to homeland security and a fire protection system. The remaining agencies will be reconnected when they show the court no Indian trust data is accessible from their system.

NEWS FROM THE BOOKSHELF

 For several years Cyndi Howells' website, CyndisList.com,  has been one of the most popular genealogical websites on the Internet. Her site features links to nearly every conceivable type website of which a genealogist could dream.

 Recently the second edition of Howells' book, Cyndi's List, was released by the publisher, Genealogical Publishing Company. It is available for $94.20, postpaid, from GPC at 1001 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.

  Featuring over 1600 pages the second edition is published in two volumes, each volume is the the size of the first edition. It includes a comprehensive list of links to over 70,000 genealogical websites on the Internet.

 Cyndi's List begins with an explanation of how to use both the book and the website and what makes one different from the other. Basically, the book eliminates a lot of duplication and cross indexing that is inherent on the website.

 Some people prefer the online version of Cyndi's List as it would have the most up to date links. Others, on the other hand, prefer old fashioned books made of paper. They like the ability to dog-ear, underline, highlight and place visible bookmarks between pages. They like the portability of a reference book that can be taken anywhere and does not require a telephone line and electricity to read. Those old fashioned readers who prefer paper books will love this new one.