New York: Mapping madness, Oct. 18

Do you know the basics and more of Internet-based mapping facilities, maps.google.com and bing.com/maps? Learn how to use this technology to your best advantage when the Jewish Genealogical Society of New York hosts Ron Arons' "Mapping Madness."

Technology is the genealogist's friend, and Ron is a great teacher of imparting new ways to utilize important resources. Things are constantly changing on the Internet, including information from Microsoft and Google. Ron keeps up with these changes and will discuss them.

Ron will review the basics of Internet-based tools, and then introduce more advanced functionality of both systems, as well as less traditional utilities provided by whitepages.com, Microsoft's MapCruncher, IBM's Many Eyes.

The program begins at 2pm, Sunday, October 18, at the Abraham Joshua Heschel High School (West End Avenue and 60th Street) in Manhattan.

Ron's been researching his roots for about 12 years, and has spoken at six IAJGS conferences, as well as programs on Jewish genealogy and Jewish criminality at many JGSs, synagogues, JCCs, history conferences and book fairs in the US and abroad.

Following 10 years of research, his book "The Jews of Sing Sing" was published, and he discussed Jewish criminals of New York's Lower East Side on the PBS series, "The Jewish Americans" in January 2008.

He holds a BS (Engineering) from Princeton, and an MBA (University of Chicago).

The school is easy to reach via subway or bus.

See the JGSNY website for more information.