5 bits of recent genealogy news for 2013 and beyond

The world is full of genealogy news in the last several days.

1. Who Do You Think You Are?" has been renewed for a second season on TLC! See the news release on Variety!
   
2. FamilySearch and Ancestry.com recently announced a joint agreement to begin a 5-year effort to digitize and index more than 1 billion records from around the world. Read more here.
   
3. There is still time to register for the The Minnesota Genealogical Society’s October 4-5, 2013 “6th Annual North Star 2013 Family History Conference.” It features Steve Luxenberg
   Steve, a Washington Post associate editor, who wrote Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret plus many breakout sessions with other great speakers. Click here for details.
    
4.  Spots are still available in several courses at the week-long Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, January 12-17, 2013. The early bird savings ends October 31st.  Click here for more details. The American Records intermediate course which I coordinate has some very special components including one-on-one consultations, hands-on computer session, and some surprises that you won't find out about until the classes begin!
   
5. CNN.com reposted a story from Real Simple magazine that talks about the growing interest in family history searching. You may recognize the name of the experts the author consulted, including my friend, Cyndi Ingle Howells of Cyndislist.com.