Ancestry / 23andMe

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likegarden
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by likegarden »

I once took a business trip on Lufthansa from NYC to Germany, and they upgraded me from Business to First Class. They must have known that I was 100% German ancestry, so no need to do Ancestry.
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dm200
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by dm200 »

WhiteMaxima wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:04 pm We knew we are all migrated from Africa not too long ago.
Sure did! Some took trips through Europe and/or Asia, etc. (and hooked up with Neanderthals). A few hooked up with the Denisovans as well.
michaeljc70
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by michaeljc70 »

I did MyHeritage. They have a $49 special if you buy two going on now.

Though the major parts were what I expected, there were some surprises. I was around 10% Scandinavian, 8% Greek and 12% Irish/Scottish none of which my family knew. We thought we were more French and German.

I thought it was interesting given that it doesn't cost that much (I think I paid $65).
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GridironGems
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by GridironGems »

michaeljc70 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:51 am I did MyHeritage. They have a $49 special if you buy two going on now.

Though the major parts were what I expected, there were some surprises. I was around 10% Scandinavian, 8% Greek and 12% Irish/Scottish none of which my family knew. We thought we were more French and German.

I thought it was interesting given that it doesn't cost that much (I think I paid $65).
How does MyHeritage compare to the others? I definitely like the $49 price tag compared to $69 at Ancestry
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by michaeljc70 »

GridironGems wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:08 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:51 am I did MyHeritage. They have a $49 special if you buy two going on now.

Though the major parts were what I expected, there were some surprises. I was around 10% Scandinavian, 8% Greek and 12% Irish/Scottish none of which my family knew. We thought we were more French and German.

I thought it was interesting given that it doesn't cost that much (I think I paid $65).
How does MyHeritage compare to the others? I definitely like the $49 price tag compared to $69 at Ancestry
They claim to have a more finite breakdown than the others, but I haven't personally investigated that. I was happy with it. It took longer than I thought (maybe 3 weeks). It probably depends on their backlog. I think they claim it can take up to 6 weeks. I imagine after the holidays would be the longest wait times.
bhsince87
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by bhsince87 »

Just sent in my spit to 23 and Me yesterday. Looking forward to the results! Bought for near half price during cyberweek. I hope I beat the post Christmas gift crowd surge too.

I know the potential downsides. But I also understand the potential upsides. The faster we can build a diverse genome database, the better for all humans, IMO. And if I'm at risk for some specific disease, I want to know that too.

That's on top of the curiosity of where my ancestors come from. We have some good indications of some ancestors coming to the US around 1690. And we have really good records going back to 1780 or so. Lots of Mennonites and Presbyterians who recorded everything! But it's the years after that where some branches get fuzzy.

And IMO privacy is practically dead already. And if the government or any private firm wants to get a sample of my DNA, it's already simple and probably legal.
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dm200
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by dm200 »

And if I'm at risk for some specific disease, I want to know that too.
So, here are the questions/issues (for those where there are different risks - not certainty), since a majority of health condiitons/risks are affected (positively or negatively) by lifestyle choices (what we eat, drink, exercise or not, etc.).

How would you adjust lifestyle choices for those things where risks are below average?

How would you adjust lifestyle choices for those things where risks are above average?
bhsince87
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by bhsince87 »

dm200 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:03 pm
And if I'm at risk for some specific disease, I want to know that too.
So, here are the questions/issues (for those where there are different risks - not certainty), since a majority of health condiitons/risks are affected (positively or negatively) by lifestyle choices (what we eat, drink, exercise or not, etc.).

How would you adjust lifestyle choices for those things where risks are below average?

How would you adjust lifestyle choices for those things where risks are above average?

For risks below average, I wouldn't change anything.

For risks above average, I MIGHT change some things. The most drastic being retiring tomorrow instead of 2 years from now. Or maybe I'd decide it's better to keep working with the thought that disability and/or health insurance options could be better that way. Can't really say at this point.
Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. William Penn
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tuningfork
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by tuningfork »

VictoriaF wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:54 pm I don't see any value in giving it to 23andMe in return for some bogus information that you are 25% African, 25% European, 25% Asian, and 25% Antractican.
Ah, so that explains why I like to eat squid!
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

tuningfork wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:47 pm
VictoriaF wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:54 pm I don't see any value in giving it to 23andMe in return for some bogus information that you are 25% African, 25% European, 25% Asian, and 25% Antractican.
Ah, so that explains why I like to eat squid!
....and penguins.
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killjoy2012
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by killjoy2012 »

I would only do one of these test under a false identity, paying with a visa gift card, with the results sent to a PO Box.

I don't think most people think about the exposure risk they're accepting, for sure.
michaeljc70
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by michaeljc70 »

killjoy2012 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:11 pm I would only do one of these test under a false identity, paying with a visa gift card, with the results sent to a PO Box.

I don't think most people think about the exposure risk they're accepting, for sure.
What exposure risk? That someone knows I am 8% Greek? Seems a little paranoid. They don't send you results, you get them online.

Part of the reason some people use these services is to connect with relatives they didn't know they had or lost touch with. Using a fake name will defeat that purpose.
Last edited by michaeljc70 on Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
IowaFarmWife
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by IowaFarmWife »

As I was checking my newsfeed last night, I ran across this article: http://www.bbc.com/news/stories-42256465

It is long but interesting read about a man in London who found his birth family through using the DNA testing services.
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dm200
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by dm200 »

I suppose there are risks with almost anything. I identify myself in 23andme and will do so when ancestrydna does its analysis.

Without getting too deeply into the weeds of the situation, let me give an actual potential "risk" that I see with someone that I know well. This individual is adopted and knows his maternal biological situation very well. However, the individual does not know (as far as I am aware) the paternal biological connection, but I do. A Google search of the bio dad shows a half-sibling in a distant state with a long criminal record. I suspect the consequences of this half-sibling with the criminal "situation" locating a solid citizen half-sibling through dna could or would not be a good thing.

My brother told me about a friend of his that made connection (all positive) with a child given up for adoption many, many decades ago - done through ancestrydna.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by VictoriaF »

michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:03 am
killjoy2012 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:11 pm I would only do one of these test under a false identity, paying with a visa gift card, with the results sent to a PO Box.

I don't think most people think about the exposure risk they're accepting, for sure.
What exposure risk? That someone knows I am 8% Greek? Seems a little paranoid. They don't send you results, you get them online.
You are confusing a reward you get with a value you provide. The reward of using 23andMe is your ancestry knowledge. The value is your genome sequence knowledge. And your genome is your ultimate identity.

If someone had secretly collected your body fluids to sequence your genome, they would have violated the Fourth Amendment. However, current Fourth Amendment doctrine holds that you lose all privacy protections over any data you willingly share with a third party. And you have no control over 23andMe's use of your information.

Victoria
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michaeljc70
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by michaeljc70 »

VictoriaF wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:34 am
michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:03 am
killjoy2012 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:11 pm I would only do one of these test under a false identity, paying with a visa gift card, with the results sent to a PO Box.

I don't think most people think about the exposure risk they're accepting, for sure.
What exposure risk? That someone knows I am 8% Greek? Seems a little paranoid. They don't send you results, you get them online.
You are confusing a reward you get with a value you provide. The reward of using 23andMe is your ancestry knowledge. The value is your genome sequence knowledge. And your genome is your ultimate identity.

If someone had secretly collected your body fluids to sequence your genome, they would have violated the Fourth Amendment. However, current Fourth Amendment doctrine holds that you lose all privacy protections over any data you willingly share with a third party. And you have no control over 23andMe's use of your information.

Victoria
I don't think that is entirely correct. Companies have privacy policies. Any data you share cannot automatically be given to anyone at anytime legally.

Part of their policy:
We will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information (i.e., information about a single individual's genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics) to any third-party or to a third-party for research purposes without your explicit consent.
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lthenderson
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by lthenderson »

Just came across this article in my inbox this morning and thought I would post it here. About 2/3rds of the way down the page they actually rank the various DNA testers on a one to ten scale.

https://isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_DNA_te ... ison_chart
azurekep
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by azurekep »

VictoriaF wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:54 pm I don't see any value in giving it to 23andMe in return for some bogus information that you are 25% African, 25% European, 25% Asian, and 25% Antractican.

Victoria
25% Antarctican would be enough to put a person on the Do Not Fly list. :twisted:
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VictoriaF
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by VictoriaF »

azurekep wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 11:17 am
VictoriaF wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 3:54 pm I don't see any value in giving it to 23andMe in return for some bogus information that you are 25% African, 25% European, 25% Asian, and 25% Antractican.

Victoria
25% Antarctican would be enough to put a person on the Do Not Fly list. :twisted:
That would be discrimination against one's penguin ancestry.

Victoria
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Steelersfan
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Steelersfan »

lthenderson wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:19 am Just came across this article in my inbox this morning and thought I would post it here. About 2/3rds of the way down the page they actually rank the various DNA testers on a one to ten scale.

https://isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_DNA_te ... ison_chart
Which is another (expert) opinion, if all you're interested in is ethnicity testing, 23andMe is the place to go . I'm not enthused about that kind of testing, but if you are, go for it. Just understand that it's not that accurate.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by VictoriaF »

michaeljc70 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:00 am
VictoriaF wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:34 am
michaeljc70 wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:03 am
killjoy2012 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:11 pm I would only do one of these test under a false identity, paying with a visa gift card, with the results sent to a PO Box.

I don't think most people think about the exposure risk they're accepting, for sure.
What exposure risk? That someone knows I am 8% Greek? Seems a little paranoid. They don't send you results, you get them online.
You are confusing a reward you get with a value you provide. The reward of using 23andMe is your ancestry knowledge. The value is your genome sequence knowledge. And your genome is your ultimate identity.

If someone had secretly collected your body fluids to sequence your genome, they would have violated the Fourth Amendment. However, current Fourth Amendment doctrine holds that you lose all privacy protections over any data you willingly share with a third party. And you have no control over 23andMe's use of your information.

Victoria
I don't think that is entirely correct. Companies have privacy policies. Any data you share cannot automatically be given to anyone at anytime legally.

Part of their policy:
We will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information (i.e., information about a single individual's genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics) to any third-party or to a third-party for research purposes without your explicit consent.
Most companies have privacy statements in their policies but the legal language allowing loopholes is difficult to decipher. Take a look at the paper "No boundaries: Exfiltration of personal data by session-replay scripts" ( https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2017/11/1 ... y-scripts/ ) by Princeton researchers.
Princeton paper about user session data exfiltration wrote:You may know that most websites have third-party analytics scripts that record which pages you visit and the searches you make. But lately, more and more sites use “session replay” scripts. These scripts record your keystrokes, mouse movements, and scrolling behavior, along with the entire contents of the pages you visit, and send them to third-party servers. Unlike typical analytics services that provide aggregate statistics, these scripts are intended for the recording and playback of individual browsing sessions, as if someone is looking over your shoulder.
Victoria
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by digarei »

michaeljc70 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:00 am I don't think that is entirely correct. Companies have privacy policies. Any data you share cannot automatically be given to anyone at anytime legally.

Part of their policy:
We will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information (i.e., information about a single individual's genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics) to any third-party or to a third-party for research purposes without your explicit consent.
Like humans, companies of all sizes and persuasions have broken statutes, laws and regulations, sometimes with impunity.

Policies are merely internal rules. The same history applies.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by VictoriaF »

digarei wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:49 am
michaeljc70 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:00 am I don't think that is entirely correct. Companies have privacy policies. Any data you share cannot automatically be given to anyone at anytime legally.

Part of their policy:
We will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information (i.e., information about a single individual's genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics) to any third-party or to a third-party for research purposes without your explicit consent.
Like humans, companies of all sizes and persuasions have broken statutes, laws and regulations, sometimes with impunity.

Policies are merely internal rules. The same history applies.
And even when a company does not break its stated rules, its corrupted employees might.

And even when a company and all its employees behave with utmost ethics, a cyber intruder may siphon out valuable data and resell it on the dark web or use for nefarious purposes.

As computational and genetics technologies become more powerful, the genome information is becoming more valuable. And a depository of genome information such as 23andMe will become an attractive target for both legal loopholes and cyber theft.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
michaeljc70
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by michaeljc70 »

Do you bank online? Look at investment accounts online? I am much more worried about someone stealing my money or identity than someone stealing what ethnicity I am.

I didn't do the genetic health testing and it is unlikely they process your DNA (given the costs) more than is necessary to provide the information they give you.

As has been mentioned, you can always use a prepaid gift card, alias to register, and VPN or public computer to view your results if you are paranoid or a criminal worried about DNA detection.
Last edited by michaeljc70 on Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
azurekep
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by azurekep »

VictoriaF wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 1:19 pm
digarei wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:49 am
michaeljc70 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:00 am I don't think that is entirely correct. Companies have privacy policies. Any data you share cannot automatically be given to anyone at anytime legally.

Part of their policy:
We will not sell, lease, or rent your individual-level information (i.e., information about a single individual's genotypes, diseases or other traits/characteristics) to any third-party or to a third-party for research purposes without your explicit consent.
Like humans, companies of all sizes and persuasions have broken statutes, laws and regulations, sometimes with impunity.

Policies are merely internal rules. The same history applies.
And even when a company does not break its stated rules, its corrupted employees might.

And even when a company and all its employees behave with utmost ethics, a cyber intruder may siphon out valuable data and resell it on the dark web or use for nefarious purposes.

As computational and genetics technologies become more powerful the genome information is becoming more valuable. And a depository of genome information such as 23andMe will become an attractive target for both legal loopholes and cyber theft.

Victoria
I once read a novel by David Ignatius, who is known for his realistic knowledge of the intelligence community. The book was about the efforts to develop a quantum computer, with the main goal of being able to break all encryption. While that didn't happen during the timeframe of the story, a prototype quantum computing platform was used to do pattern recognition using every single surveillance camera in Europe -- or something like that -- to find a certain face. It took a few seconds as I remember. It was pretty mind-blowing.

That's what I think of when I think of these various repositories of data. Right now, they're unconnected. When they're connected to larger systems and combined with powerful computing technology, search engines can find exactly the type of individuals requested in a query and the results can be used for whatever purpose is intended. We don't need to look far in either government or the corporate area to see how this information can be used by entities with intentions that may not mirror our own.

/Tinfoil hat off :)
OnTrack
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by OnTrack »

michaeljc70 wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 1:50 pm Do you bank online? Look at investment accounts online? I am much more worried about someone stealing my money or identity than someone stealing what ethnicity I am.

I didn't do the genetic health testing and it is unlikely they process your DNA (given the costs) more than is necessary to provide the information they give you.

As has been mentioned, you can always use a prepaid gift card, alias to register, and VPN or public computer to view your results if you are paranoid or a criminal worried about DNA detection.
The problem is that there has been an actual case of an innocent person who became a suspect in a murder case based on DNA in a database.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-safe-i ... cy-rights/
"... A little more searching and I stumbled across a blog post about a young filmmaker named, Michael Usry Jr. A familial search conducted by Idaho Falls police landed Usry in a stark interrogation room, where he was grilled by detectives and asked for his DNA, without any explanation. ..."

More details here
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/ ... 2f166.html
https://www.wired.com/2015/10/familial- ... -suspects/
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/05/h ... ent-man-20

Note: the last link above says that the DNA in question was originally submitted to a non-profit database that had this policy: "Sorenson promised volunteers their genetic data would only be used for “genealogical services, including the determination of family migration patterns and geographic origins” and would not be shared outside Sorenson" Later that database was acquired by Ancestry.com which "is available online and may be searched by anyone with "DNA results obtained from a commercial lab."
Last edited by OnTrack on Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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dm200
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by dm200 »

I have no idea how accurate and realistic they are, but DNA is a part of a great many episodes of Law and Order and Law and Order SVU.
azurekep
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by azurekep »

OnTrack wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 5:29 pm The problem is that there has been an actual case of an innocent person who became a suspect in a murder case based on DNA in a database.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-safe-i ... cy-rights/
"... A little more searching and I stumbled across a blog post about a young filmmaker named, Michael Usry Jr. A familial search conducted by Idaho Falls police landed Usry in a stark interrogation room, where he was grilled by detectives and asked for his DNA, without any explanation. ..."

More details here
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/ ... 2f166.html
https://www.wired.com/2015/10/familial- ... -suspects/
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/05/h ... ent-man-20

Note: the last link above says that the DNA in question was originally submitted to a non-profit database that had this policy: "Sorenson promised volunteers their genetic data would only be used for “genealogical services, including the determination of family migration patterns and geographic origins” and would not be shared outside Sorenson" Later that database was acquired by Ancestry.com which "is available online and may be searched by anyone with "DNA results obtained from a commercial lab."
Also in the articles, info contained in the man's Facebook page was further used to link him (erroneously) to the crime.

The basic principle is: information in databases and social media can and will be used against you.
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Dead Man Walking »

I purchased 4 kits from Ancestry DNA for Chistmas gifts for my family just for the fun of determining our ancestry. Fortunately, I have an accurate record of my ancestors in the USA. My ancestors prior to emigration to the USA are vague. I'm curious about those roots prior to the 1700's. My tests are just for curiosity. I know that my father's ancestors were Palintines from the Rhineland, but I have no idea what the ancestral heritage of those ancestors was. My great grandmother was from Greece. My mother's heritage is a mixture of people from Great Britain. Are there Vikings in my heritage? My wife is 1/2 Sicilian. The heritage of those Sicilians is a mystery. Her other ancestors are a complete mystery. This is just for fun!

DMW
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stickman731
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by stickman731 »

Here is a recent Federal Trade Commission statement on consumer DNA test.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/ ... plications
Jeff Albertson
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Jeff Albertson »

save your money
"My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren't My Genes Italian?"
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ium=social
Last fall, we sent away to get our DNA tested by Helix, the company that works with National Geographic. Mom's results: 31 percent from Italy and Southern Europe. That made sense because of her Italian mother. But my Helix results didn't even have an "Italy and Southern European" category. How could I have 50 percent of Mom's DNA and not have any Italian? We do look alike, and she says there's little chance we were switched at birth.
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by IowaFarmWife »

Jeff Albertson wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:30 am save your money
"My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren't My Genes Italian?"
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ium=social
Last fall, we sent away to get our DNA tested by Helix, the company that works with National Geographic. Mom's results: 31 percent from Italy and Southern Europe. That made sense because of her Italian mother. But my Helix results didn't even have an "Italy and Southern European" category. How could I have 50 percent of Mom's DNA and not have any Italian? We do look alike, and she says there's little chance we were switched at birth.
This happened on my report, too. Both of my father's parents came from Sicily, but my dna test only showed 11% Italian. I was kind of confused about that.
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dm200
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by dm200 »

IowaFarmWife wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:12 am
Jeff Albertson wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:30 am save your money
"My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren't My Genes Italian?"
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-sho ... ium=social
Last fall, we sent away to get our DNA tested by Helix, the company that works with National Geographic. Mom's results: 31 percent from Italy and Southern Europe. That made sense because of her Italian mother. But my Helix results didn't even have an "Italy and Southern European" category. How could I have 50 percent of Mom's DNA and not have any Italian? We do look alike, and she says there's little chance we were switched at birth.
This happened on my report, too. Both of my father's parents came from Sicily, but my dna test only showed 11% Italian. I was kind of confused about that.
They might have come from Sicily - but maybe their direct ancestors cam from another area.
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Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Carefreeap »

Atilla wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:57 pm Heh, ancestry. 3 of four of my grandparents I'm told were 100% German.

On a 10 day trip to Munich this fall only once was it assumed by a native (before I spoke a word- I know zero German outside what I know from old Hogan's Heros reruns) that I was not German. This includes the stewardesses on the Lufthansa flights there and back. Leaving the plane - everyone in front of me "goodbye"; me "auf viedersehen".

So my heritage is legit. No blood test needed. :sharebeer
Lol, I can pass as either Irish or German. My husband and I only lived in Germany for three years but I was constantly being asked for directions. It was pretty funny to watch the expression on folks faces when I would attempt to answer them in my halting and heavily accented German.

We lived in Bonn and there was no doubt of the Roman influence with those families who had lived in the area for generations. Far from the stereotypical of a tall, blond and blue eyed German, these people were small, dark haired and brown eyed.
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Finridge
Posts: 1094
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 7:27 pm

Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Finridge »

jdb wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:44 am
GridironGems wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:34 am
Cruise wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:32 am OP: If you are just interested in your ancestry, and not concerned about making connections with relatives, you might want to try the National Geographic Geno project.

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/about/
I have never heard of this, how does it compare to the others? Would I want to get this for my mom and dad both?
I second the National Geographic Geno project, my wife and I and my mother all did the test almost 10 years ago, before there were all these for profit DNA testing companies, we found it very informative. And a good not for profit organization to support.
Today, National Geographic is no longer a non-profit. National Geographic--the one that everyone knows... the company selling magazines and all the other National Geographic branded stuff--is FOR PROFIT. The old non-profit National Geographic Society that you remember from "back in the day" is gone--technically it still exists, but it has changed beyond recognition and no longer controls any National Geographic-branded stuff.They put everything into an LLC (National Geographic Partners, LLC) that is 73% owned by Fox. It's controlled by Rupert Murdoch--same guy that controls Fox News.
bigdav160
Posts: 80
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 3:44 pm

Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by bigdav160 »

It's controlled by Rupert Murdoch--same guy that controls Fox News.
How is that relevant?
fh2000
Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:18 pm

Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by fh2000 »

Outafter20 wrote: Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:27 pm My daughter has been asking me to do the 23andMe. She is 14 and we adopted her from China 12 years ago.

Is it worth it?
I wander how useful this type of test is if you are Chinese. I always think that this is designed if your ancestors are from Europe. Chinese were mixed with Mongolians, Manchurians, and maybe one lost legion from Rome. What would the result show? 80% Central China, 10% North China, 5% North East China and some blood from western Chinese provinces, if they even keep these level of details in their database?
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Jazztonight
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:21 pm
Location: Lake Merritt

Re: Ancestry / 23andMe

Post by Jazztonight »

I was not (and still am not) overly concerned with the health results, but I did score BIG with the "lost relatives" aspect of 23 and Me.

My father's aunt's family showed up out of nowhere, and I now have another branch of my family I didn't even know existed. My daughter and her son were actually able to meet with 3rd and 4th cousins as a result, and this is very rare in families that came from Germany, Russia, Romania, etc. to the US pre-WW2. So many relatives were lost, and we do not have the luxury of having come over on the Mayflower or being able to trace our family back to Ghengis Khan or Marie Antionette.

And what's been said by others is true--so many distant cousins that are impossible to trace. It's nice to know, but there's not much most people can do with it.

Finally, just because someone is related to you does not mean you can relate to them.
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
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