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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2002-04 > 1019719093


From: "Allan S. Gleason" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Relative Genetics/Ancestry.com results
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 00:18:21 -0700
References: <agleason@route66web.com message <3CC73A37.2F823CF5@route66web.com> <5.1.0.14.0.20020424220057.066dadf8@wells.org>


"Orin R. Wells" wrote:

> I believe the creation of Relative Genetics and BYU's involvement with them
> came as a bit of an accidental consequence of the realization a lot of
> researchers are interested in being able to have their Y-chromosome DNA and
> mtDNA tested for their genealogical research. I don't think that was the
> intended outcome of their project. But, I could be wrong on that.

As it was explained to me, the project was becoming much too expensive for the
funders, mainly James Sorenson, to support. He needed a cash cow and Relative
Genetics was it. So you might say that if you buy your test from RG you are helping
a good cause. Or you may not. C'mon, Orin, you knew that! You've even met all of
the main characters in person except perhaps Sorenson himself.

And John, you mean that you had to pay? I even got my local lab fee for taking the
blood free and the postage was prepaid besides. Now, I did have to pay some for my
retest with Rel. Gen. so I could get some numbers for others to compare with. With
your help and other sources, I think the haplotype is correct now. But then, those
numbers are just for other "cousins" to see if they are related to the
Gleason/Leeson line. They don't do me any good. I got over my "brick wall".

I choose not to argue about what BYU is or is not going to do with their project.
They have a public statement on their website which has been consistent for a couple
of years now which to me says very little with a lot of words. It seems to me that
if they don't do a LOT more with all of that blood and those pedigrees where four
generations is a minimum requirement, then their project will be a very serious
disappointment and a waste of Sorenson's money! They mention the 250 markers but
don't say what they're going to do with them. We can speculate forever and still
not know the answer. I just hope that "the good Doctor" doesn't take Genesis
literally!

I can't follow your mutation rate argument regarding your line since I haven't seen
the Rice descendancy chart(s) or the data - I didn't know that it was available for
the world to see - even though it seems a waste of money if it isn't published
somewhere.

Yes, John, I've heard the student bit before - from Ann, I think - but I choose to
think of them as criminals since that is my association with the word forensics and
that is the point of the database. It certainly is not intended for a bunch of
curious genealogists to find their non-cousins! LOL

Allan








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