Have you hit a stumbling block in your search for ancestors? Is the given (last) name you’re looking for one that could be easily spelled differently in another language? Try varying the spelling of the given name you are researching - sometimes it can make a world of difference.

For example, we were researching the name “Lesh”, but couldn’t find anything. Until one day, after scanning some of the Ancestry.com forums, we noticed a German spelling of the name - Loesch - and the flood gates opened so much so that we found ancestors back to the Revolutionary War, which helped to prove our rights to membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. You can also use the name “Shrader” as an example, which has multiple spellings - Schrader, Schraeder, Schroeder, etc.

So…why did these names change from generation-to-generation?

One reason can be attributed to immigrants themselves. They made a conscious decision when arriving in America that they were going to simplify their name, give it a more “American” spelling, or maybe they wanted to distance themselves from a troubled past.

Another, and equally prevalent, reason was due to record keeping. We haven’t always lived in the age of computers and immigration records were not always 100% accurate. Not because the immigrant officer at Ellis Island was lazy, but because they were trying to process as many people as possible and they would spell names phonetically and, if you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you know letter combinations in one language were usually trimmed to a single letter sound in “American” English. For example, ‘ae’ could turn into an ‘a’, an ‘ei’ into an ‘i’ or ’sch’ into ’sh’, especially with German names.

Another common problem with records of the time, and census records are another good example of this, is the flowery, and sometimes, illegible handwriting that would cause people to guess at how a name was spelled, which could lead to, though surely unintentional, spelling errors.

As if spelling changes weren’t enough, some people wouldn’t record their formal names consistently. For example, we were reviewing census records and found a person had recorded their name three different ways. Once with a full first and last name, but no middle; another with a full first and last name and a middle initial; and lastly, we found another record with first and middle initials and a full last name.

So… The bottom line when researching your ancestors is to keep an open mind and make sure to try all of the possibilities (no matter how strange they might seem). You never know what you’re going to find!!

Michelle has been scrapbooking for over five years and is the owner of Choubox Scrapbook Design (http://www.creative-scrapbook-layouts.com). Choubox is your source for pre-made scrapbook layouts, quality scrapbook supplies and valuable information on how to start scrapbooking.

One of the most dangerous things you can do as a driver is to neglect your vehicle’s suspension system. When it is time for you to swap out your shocks or struts don’t wait or you could cause significant safety problems for you, your passengers, as well as for pedestrians and other drivers and their passengers. Taking your car to a shock replacement store is always one way to solve the problem, but if you want to save yourself some money as well as take pride in a job you finished yourself, there is nothing more rewarding than saying to yourself, “I did the work!”

So, why should you replace your shocks at the first sign of trouble? Well, properly working shock absorbers keep your car’s tires in contact with the road and provide a cushion from road impact. Shocks stop unnecessary rebound, diminish sway, and improve the handling of your vehicle when braking, cornering or driving on uneven roads. Shock absorbers limit the travel and the extension of your vehicle’s springs by putting a halt to unremitting bouncing.

Finding the right shocks or struts for your car involves asking yourself a few questions:

Does my car come equipped with shock absorbers or struts? Both do basically the same thing, but they are different in that shocks are simply one part of your suspension system while struts are your entire suspension system comprising of upper ball joint, shock, and spring in one unit.

What type of ride am I hoping to achieve with my new shocks or struts? Monroe Shock Absorbers, one of the leading names in the business, offers a variety of shock and strut models depending on what your desired ride comfort level is, the type of vehicle you own, or whether you are regularly pull something or not.

Bilstein Shocks are standard equipment on Mercedes Benz automobiles and on select General Motors models; they are considered by some as offering a premium level of performance capabilities.

For off roading purpose, Rancho Shocks are the leaders in providing heavy duty shocks for light trucks and SUVs. Many consider Rancho Shocks as being the best trail duty shocks on the market. Both Monroe and Rancho are owned by the same company, Tenneco-Automotive, but their market emphasis is quite different.

Purchasing shock absorbers or struts can involve some serious shopping around for the weekend mechanic. When you purchase directly from an online wholesaler, such as Car Parts Stuff, you are likely to realize the greatest savings as the better ones purchase directly from the manufacturers, cutting out the middle man and his high mark ups. Aftermarket stores will likely carry what you want, but if they use third party suppliers, you will pay extra for the convenience.

Wherever you go, please make sure that you can return the parts, if needed, and only shop those online retailers who have free shipping available and online assistants standing by. Don’t mess around when it comes to replacement shock absorbers and struts. Your car and the lives of you and others are too valuable for you to ignore by cutting corners.

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.

Any online degree probably cannot compete with a traditional university degree. Concentrated time spent on the campus in a face-to-face discussion setting is perhaps the best way of knowledge transfer, in spite of the advent of technology that can make physical presence of a classroom redundant!

Being able to attend a regular class is, however, not possible for every student. You might not have the resources in the initial stages of life, and at a later point in life time might become a constraint. Hence, to complete your education, you need the flexibility of time and place and the convenience of doing it from anywhere in the world. The University of Phoenix is perhaps one of the best options available to you today. The University has earned repute for excellence and success. In fact, according to a student survey, there is 95 percent satisfaction level amidst students who earn their online degree from the University of Phoenix.

The alumnae from the University of Phoenix have seen a marked increase in their marketability. They have been able to secure jobs that they desired, or have received promotions in their present jobs. Many full-time homemakers have been able to complete their education, which has helped them not only with their self esteem but has also prepared them for job markets once they decide to move out.

The flexibility offered by the University of Phoenix is a major advantage. Each course can be taken over a period of five to six weeks and students can take a break between courses. They do not have to be present for any classes and can review the downloaded learning material offline at their convenience. Additionally, the University of Phoenix Online education is recognized for most employer reimbursement plans. For these reasons among many others, the University of Phoenix is perhaps the best place to start looking for the means to fulfill your career goals.

Hal McIver is a proponent of higher education, especially at online universities. See www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/a_university_of.html for more information on The University of Phoenix online degree.