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From: "RICHARD KENYON" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] 60 Minutes Genetic Genealogy Segment
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 16:14:40 -0700
References: <712801.37575.qm@web84312.mail.re1.yahoo.com>


I guess I must be in the minority, although I'm a strong advocate of DNA testing. I consider the 60 Minutes piece as balanced reporting. Certainly there are many who expect DNA tests to tell them much more than they should expect and that these tests will fill in their whole ancestral tree without them doing the standard genealogical research first. List members know better, but not the general public.
Maybe I'm a natural-born skeptic, but I compare some of the more vocal members on this list as nothing much more that updated versions of old-fashioned gypsy tea leaf readers. Too much is being extrapolated from badly biased small samples.
I don't blame the testing companies for excessive hype for disappointments, rather that some expect much more than what the vendors advertise.
If 60 Minutes only gave the success stories, they would be accused of biased reporting. Certainly there are some who are disappointed with inconclusive results from their tests. I think it would be bad reporting if 60 Minutes didn't point this out.
Sorry, but I liked the 60 Minutes piece and I don't consider it as damaging.

Richard R. Kenyon ("Dick")

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