Bear Grylls is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild or also known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom. He has done many expeditions, in 2000 he led the first team to circumnavigate the U.K. on a personal watercraft or jet ski, taking about 30 days, to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He also rowed naked for 22 miles in… Read the full story

Here’s our recap for this past week in the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Documenting the Past with Pictures (kimt.com) – A woman takes photos of gravestones at a local cemetery to document them for the future In my lifetime: Bearden matriarch recalls researching family history and creating her own (KnoxNews.com) – The story of a woman’s personal journey researching her genealogy Rooting out a Hindu family history the traditional way (BBC) – A… Read the full story

This Friday, Tom Cruise lends his voice as Stacee Jaxx in the rock musical Rock of Ages. Just this week, Cruise was honored by The Friars Club with the Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award in New York, becoming the fourth recipient of the honor and placing him in the same company as legends Douglas Fairbanks, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. On hand to present his award was his Rock of Ages co-star Alec Baldwin. Did you know… Read the full story

We had a great three days at the 43rd annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in Burbank, California! It was a blast introducing Geni to the uninitiated and chatting with lots of long time users. And many thanks to the genealogy bloggers who stopped by the booth! It was great to finally meet you all in person! Our Jamboree-fun started a week earlier for us. Not only did we sponsor the bags this year, but we helped provide… Read the full story

Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator and businessman. He became a well known Grand Prix motor racing driver and competed at events in the UK and Europe. He started competing in 1931 with a Brooklands Riley competing at Shelsley Walsh, Southport and Brooklands circuit. Straight formed his own motor racing team in 1934, personally driving to victory in the South African Grand Prix, held on the 16-mile Buffalo… Read the full story

Here are some interesting articles from last week! Enjoy! The Genealogy Sphere Of Time Travel and Typhoid (Accessible Archives) – Discovering typhoid as your ancestor’s cause of death Name changes, estate executors can be found in probate notices (Bangor Daily News) – Tips on using probate records in your research Genealogy: Details found in the Atlanta Penitentiary Records 1902 – 1921 (Examiner.com) – The Atlanta Penitentiary Records offer more details into family history 1940 census:… Read the full story

Today marks the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. Code named Operation Overlord, over 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy across a 50-mile span of its coast. Never before had an operation of this magnitude had been attempted. U.S. Army troops wade ashore on Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944 / NARA On the day before, (June 5, 1944), General Dwight D. Eisenhower, then the Supreme Commander of the… Read the full story

Patricia Rooney Mara is an American film and television actress. She has starred in the remake of the 1984 horror film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Social Network and the 2011 version of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance in The Girl with the Dragon… Read the full story

Check out some interesting links from this past week! The Genealogy Sphere Parkman woman, British brother who presumed each other dead reunited after 48 years (Bangor Daily News) – Siblings are reunited after believing each other to be dead Decades Later, Baby’s 19th Century Gravestone Returned to Mass. Cemetery (CBS Boston) – A baby’s gravestone from 1876 is finally returned to the cemetery Pritchardville Elementary fifth-graders explore family history with scrapbooks (Islandpacket.com) – A great… Read the full story

June 2 kicks off Queen Elizabeth II‘s Diamond Jubilee celebration. In honor of her 60 years on the throne, here’s a look at just a few notable celebrities who are related to the Queen of England. Throughout her long and distinguished reign, Queen Elizabeth has met with 12 U.S. Presidents. In 2009, President Obama made a visit to Buckingham Palace. President Obama is Queen Elizabeth’s 9th cousin twice removed! Just this week, teen idol Justin… Read the full story