THE FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
In a message dated 2/12/02 7:52:57 PM, John in New York writes: John what is going on here, I thought NFDA was all done with this issue, here they go again trying to rob the employee, how can owners represent employees. What can members do to discourage these actions? Please let people know how to turn this around, once and for all.
John thanks for the heads up, I have already been in touch with NFDA, I'll find out how to communicate on the issue, thanks for brining this to my attention, Bluntly of all the issues NFDA could put on the Washington table, I thought pushing the sacred trust of our customers pre need money would make it, instead it's again time to screw the employees out of their overtime, with hundreds of complaints of overtime abuse to the department of labor and PAC money paying for the secretary of labor's visit to shmooze, I got to wonder what are paying for his visit?
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In a message dated 2/14/02 8:41:11 AM, FD in Montana writes: I've always felt that it is WRONG for employers to pay us salary. There's obviously only one reason employers like it that way...they get to use us as much as they want and don't ever worry about having to pay for the extra time.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 8:58:17 AM, Robert in Illinois writes:
I agree with all of you. NFDA is spending too much time on this wage/hour agenda. With the many new and fatal diseases (such as CJ) and the health care system having the right not to inform us of the potential hazards, we should be concerned about such (Yes, I am well aware of universal precautins); however, there is more here than meets the eye, so to speak.
No, NFDA produced a budget that was some $30,000; NFDA stated the property they were buying would more than pay off the balance of their new building, etc., but it didn't, as one officer told us, the market fell flat. Well, perhaps they should not have sold then.
Regardless, I cannot support legislation that exempts overtime, etc. I have far too many friends who barely make it earning the regular income w/overtime. They love this profession, and know the donwside; giving them timeoff would simply force them to find parttime employment at McDonald's.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 11:50:20 AM, Ben in New York writes: John, if you did your homework you should have know this issue was on the agenda. Your not going to kill it, it's the owners against the employees, NFDA is OWNERS you got that! NFDA is an OWNERS CLUB, how many employees do you see on their committee, how many embalmers the answer probably is NONE, can you immagine people asking to have their overtime reduced. The shortage of people in our profession is artificial. If the Wage and Hour Exemption goes through the larger companies will create their own schools, pump out licencees and pay slave salaries to the kids like McDonalds and Burger King does and sell funerals for so much less than we do.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 1:30:29 PM, FD in Texas writes:
I hope this does not pass.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 1:30:29 PM, John in Colorado writes:
Hi John,
I'm really surprised that some funeral directors are concerned about losing overtime benefits. In light of the shortage of qualified people, it seems logical to me that when some people are "screwed," using the language of one of your contributors, they have the opportunity to pursue their right to work elsewhere. After all, if someone is associated with a firm that seeks to take unfair advantage of their employees, don't you think that this is going to happen in a variety of other ways? For example, such an employer could offer a low basic wage that contemplates added overtime. At the end of the day, people will get what they deserve or they will go elsewhere. This issue ought to be of little concern to funeral directors. I keep hearing that people want to be treated as professionals. On the other hand, it seems that some don't.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 9:26:19 PM, Dan in California writes:
Dear John,
Again the NFDA Policy function is being questioned on wages and hours. I recall ranting about representation by employees of ownership. Now we have an extremely important and potentially divisive policy issue of long term impact and I am wondering: Where is the NFDA study and position paper on the subject and who has access to it? What are the facts, what are the long term consequences of being "professional". Are we taking the future seriously enough to ask those questions and seek objective answers. Does it sometimes seem there are times, when acting without a well thought out plan, we are our own worst enemy. Licensing is a good example. We know our image is colored by media which is responsible for most of our negative image, yet our industry intends to become professional thru licensing and higher education, resulting at least in increased cost of professional staff. It is doubtful that our image, which is being trashed by preneed scandals and other fiascoes, has truly been raised as salaries may be. Lets know ahead of time the results we might expect.
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In a message dated 2/14/02 9:49:19 PM, Frank in Florida writes:
John, you go through this every year, good luck I hope you get some attention, why do we want to protect our wages, very puzzling, lets look at it from the Rotarians, it does not pass the four way test,
Is it the Truth? Is it fair to all Concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
As you know I sold my place and now work down here in Florida, it's awful they way they treat families, selling expensive funerals is what's it all about, now we write out time cards out and the manager crosses out what she feels is our break time, just two weeks ago we had a very long service and she won't pay us for the extra time, I'm just writing it all down and when I turn 70 Ill make a formal complaint, I hear we can get triple damages for documented and deliberate abuse, I certainly hope so. OH the manager is not a licensed FD her business card lists her as a Mortician, I could go on and on but these Mortician types are on the rise. Thanks for keeping me in the loop, no magazines in the office anywhere all we get is the company news letter. We call it the Evil Empire News, it's all about the company covering their own behinds. Keep up the good work, Thanks
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In a message dated 2/15/02 8:42:03 PM, Mark in Tennessee writes:
I'm paid only half-time for any hours worked over 40 per week. Many of my workweeks are 60-70 hours. If I lose all overtime pay, funeral service will lose me.
There are thousands like me in the funeral work force.
Who is going to do the work?
Government Relations Committee Meets in Brookfield. The Government Relations Committee met in Brookfield, WI, to discuss and approve an NFDA Political Action Committee (PAC) long-range funding plan and 36 public policy positions for consideration by NFDA's Policy Board in March 2002.
The committee identified the top five legislative issues:
1. Repeal the limitation on funeral trusts qualifying for Section 685 treatment under the Internal Revenue Code
2. Exempt licensed funeral directors and embalmers from federal wage and hour laws
3. Permanently repeal the federal estate tax
4. Enact legislation to reduce health insurance costs for small businesses
5. Codify the SSI exclusion for irrevocable funeral and burial trusts.
The committee also identified the top five regulatory issues for 2002:
1. Amend the Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule to include all third-party sellers of funeral goods or services
2. Classify licensed funeral directors and embalmers under the professional exemption in the federal wage and hour laws
3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reform
4. Establish a national electronic death certificate registration system
5. Environmental regulations
Members: Post your comment Click here write and send
Credibility, all posts on this subject are from registered members
FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION does not share membership info with anyone, no one will be given your information with out your permission or a court order.
JOIN Funeral Service Professional Association
In a message dated 2/13/02 9:05:02 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Monies collected by the NFDA 9-11 Relief Fund help defray the expenses of the volunteers, with each receiving $75 per day to offset housing, travel and food expenses. As of February 6, 2002, the fund raised $48,063.63. Out of that, $12,875 has been dispersed. With the volunteer work continuing through the summer, NFDA anticipates the current funds available will be depleted. NFDA asks individuals who haven't yet contributed to consider making a donation in support of the volunteers at this time. All contributions are considered tax-deductible gifts to the extent allowed by law. Donations can be made to:
National Funeral Directors Association
NFDA 9-11 Relief Fund
PO Box 1451
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1451
You also can visit NFDA Online at www.nfda.org/september11/donate.html to make a donation. Thank you to everyone who have already supported this fund.
In a message dated 2/10/02 7:28:56 PM, skip@cwo.com writes:
Notice
Many of you may have already received a notice from the Cemetery and
Funeral Bureau of a public meeting later this month. While I can only
speculate on the reason for the rare meeting (at least since the demise of
the Funeral Board), it is welcome to say the least. I hope that as many
of you attend as possible. I am sure we have our individual concerns
regarding the secretive way business has been done since open meetings have
ceased; this may be the time to air them.
I for one, have been stonewalled by the totalitarian regime more times than
I care to remember.
Too many records have been lost or "unable to locate"; too many phone calls
have never been returned and too many issues ignored. As far as I am
concerned, the public records act to the bureau is a joke and for the most
part ignored for whatever reason they or their attorney's fancy.
Anyway, here is the information:
The meeting date is Wednesday, February 27, 2002
10am to 4 pm
Department of Consumer of Affairs
400 R Street, 1st Floor Hearing Room
Sacramento, CA 95814
In a message dated 2/8/02 11:09:03 PM, Dan in California writes:
Dead baby laundered in UK hospital blunder
By Haris Anwar
LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The tiny dead body of a prematurely born baby was accidentally thrown into a London hospital linen basket and washed in boiling water at an industrial laundry, officials said on Wednesday.
In the latest scandal to hit Britain's ailing National Health Service (NHS), the corpse of James Fernandez, who died soon after being born 17 weeks early, was taken to the hospital mortuary but was lost in piles of soiled sheets and shrouds.
"The laundry bags were stored next to the cabinet where bodies were kept. It is a busy department and with the movement of bodies in and out of that cabinet...the body was transferred," Helen Moffatt, chief executive of Queen Mary's Hospital in London, told a news conference.
Health has become a major political issue in Britain following a series of scandals and crises which have forced Prime Minister Tony Blair to pledge more public money for the overcrowded state-run health system.
The mass-circulation Sun newspaper, which carried details of the hospital's own inquiry into the incident, splashed the latest controversy to hit the NHS across its front page, with the headline "NHS threw our baby away."
Moffatt apologised to James' distraught parents, but admitted the hospital had broken protocol in not keeping the baby's body in a separate box after he died last November.
"It came to light during the inquiry that...this baby may well have been placed on the floor and clearly that was also inappropriate and undignified," Moffatt told reporters.
The case raised memories of another hospital scandal a year ago in which seven adult bodies were stored on the floor of an unrefrigerated chapel at Bedford Hospital in southern England for 24 hours because its mortuary was full.
A spokesman for Blair said the British premier sympathised greatly with the parents in the case, which had been "very distressing."
But he stressed this was an isolated incident.
"It is worth remembering that this is an exception not the rule, and that the NHS on the whole...delivers very, very high quality care in maternity services and children's services," he told reporters.
Moffatt said a mortuary technician had been suspended after the incident, and the hospital was ready to compensate the baby's relatives.
She offered an "unreserved apology" to the family.
Here's anther one!
Japan woman kept mother's corpse in bed for year
TOKYO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Japanese police have arrested a woman who refused to bury her dead mother and instead kept the body in a bed in her apartment for nearly a year, a Japanese newspaper said on Friday.
After failing to report her 92-year-old mother's death in February last year, Yoshiko Nakahara, 52, left the body on a bed in a small room in the apartment the two women had shared, the Mainichi Daily News reported.
"I couldn't bear to be parted from my mother," Nakahara was quoted as telling police.
Nakahara was arrested for the illegal disposal of a body, the newspaper said in its online edition.
Here's the last one!
Man Who Dragged Corpse Sentenced
TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) - A man who strangled his wife and dragged her body through the street behind his van was sentenced Thursday to 28 years to life in prison.
Jude Nwandu, 49, of Inglewood was convicted in November of first-degree murder and evading police.
Prosecutors said Nwandu beat his wife with a flashlight and strangled her Sept. 13, 1996, then apparently tried to dispose of her 198-pound body by dragging it because he was unable to lift it into the van.
In a message dated 1/31/02 7:13:33 PM, fcaruso@assnoffice.com writes:
[An Open Letter to All Funeral Directors and Embalmers]
What if your state legislature came up with a bill to kill licensing for funeral directors and embalmers in your state? It happened in Colorado in 1982 under a new, not-taken-to-seriously sunset law. Everyone knew there was NO WAY licensing was going to die in our state, but it did! Licensing was killed DEAD with surprising ease! It could happen almost anywhere in this new era of consumerism when licensing is perceived more as a means of protecting an industry than it is as a means of protecting the public.
Everyone knows that the issues of health, safety, consumer pricing and competitiveness are covered already by other laws and agencies.
Regardless, we know there are problems and feel that the public MIGHT be better served with licensing than without. The Colorado Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors has decided to take another look at licensing. It has voted to pursue a mission of fact-finding before drawing a conclusion as to support or oppose a new licensing initiative. We have a number of friendly legislators who believe it is time to take another look. We need facts. After 20 years of living without licensing Colorado has to establish a need and the public issues that are addressed under the licensing provisions of other states.
We need your help in identifying those real-life public safety and welfare needs. Even though you are from another state, the public is the public and business is business, therefore your experiences are of value to us here in Colorado.
We have until July 1, 2002 to submit a Sunrise application to our State Department of Regulatory Affairs in order to start the official process.;
I am providing a direct link to the documents posted on
our web site:
http://www.cofda.org/laws/sunrise.pdf
You can find the same document through the law section index on our web
site at:
http://www.cofda.org/laws/index.htm
Especially difficult for us, and where you might provide real time insights, are questions 12 and 22 which refer to specific, verifiable examples of abuse that would be controlled by licensing. Question 20 regarding the voids left by existing law pose another challenge.
Unfortunately, we cannot take verbal reports by phone. We need feedback by email, fax or post. We will appreciate any information or suggestions you can provide. Also, we will appreciate help in passing on the news. If we decide to seek reinstatement, we are going to need all of the help we can get. Contact information for our entire Board is found on our web site.
Thanks, Fred Caruso
Quiet Heart Music offers Aftercare Music that Heals
Pianist, Henry Wiens of International Falls, Minnesota formed Quiet Heart
Music because of the unusual number of thank you letters he had received
from people dealing with grief and chronic pain. They wrote to say that
listening to the "The Quiet Heart" had helped them through a very difficult
time. Henry also noticed that hospices and hospitals were calling to
request CD1s or permission to play them on closed circuit systems in patient
rooms.
Hundreds of funeral homes across America are now playing this soothing music
in their chapels and giving the CD1s to families after the service or at
memorial events. "The Quiet Heart" and "Silent Night" are available in
several editions.
First, the "Classic Gift" edition.; this simply says "A Gift of Music" on
the cover. Second, many funeral home owners personalize the packaging by
having their business name, logo, and message printed on the CD cover, with
further information, scripture or poetry on the inside panel, as desired.
Third, the covers may be further customized for each family served. The
"Individual Memorial Edition" CD displays not only the name and logo of the
funeral home, but also "In Loving Memory of John Doe". (or equivalent
message) These serve as beautiful and meaningful family gifts for any
special memorial events. They also provide a significant ongoing remembrance
of the quality service provided by the funeral home.
Minnesota poet, Ed Newman has written poems for the exclusive use of Quiet
Heart Music. These are available at no extra cost and can enhance the
inside panel of any gift CD. For example: "Music speaks a language that is
deep, touching us in places words could never reach."
To receive a free demo CD, please call Quiet Heart Music at 1-800-252-5954.
Henry A. Wiens
Quiet Heart Music
P.O. Box 712
International Falls, MN 56649
office: 800-252-5954
cell: 612-868-7166
In a message dated 1/28/02 9:25:28 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
WTC Coroner Sets Up Web site, Hotline To ID Victims
Jo Craven McGinty
Staff Writer
January 28, 2002, 8:09 PM EST
For the first time since Sept. 11, a city agency has released a list of people who remain missing following the attack on the World Trade Center.
In an effort to solicit additional DNA samples, the New York Medical examiner yesterday published the names of those who have been reported missing but whose remains have not been identified.
That list contains the names of 2,189 people at the towers, on the airplanes and the rescue workers at the scene. The Medical examiner has identified the remains of 693 people, including 117 people who have been identified through DNA alone, according to Ellen Borakove, spokesperson for the department. That brings the total compiled by the medical examiner to 2,882 victims.
The city's number of dead or missing has fluctuated dramatically since the attacks, climbing to nearly 6,500 before eventually dropping below 3,000. Multiple missing person reports for a single victim, as well as erroneous reports for people who were never missing, artificially inflated the total.
But no city agency has publicly released a list of those killed in the attack, and officials have been reluctant to even speculate whether an official tally of victims would ever be made public. The NYPD and the Office of Emergency Management have so far refused to release their list of the dead or missing.
Neither the police, which maintains the city's official list, nor the Office of Emergency Management, which releases the daily official count of victims, would comment on the medical examiner's list. Borakove would only say that the medical examiner has compiled its list of the missing separately from the police department. As of Monday, the city's official tally included 2,870 people who are dead or missing. That's 12 fewer names than the Medical examiner lists.
"Our number constantly changes as we eliminate dupes and mistakenly filed reports," Mike Collins, spokesperson for the New York Police Department, said, adding that the NYPD periodically updates other city agencies as it modifies its list.
The police department has modified its own internal procedures in handling their list of the victims. The department's Internal Affairs division, whose chief, Charles Campisi, has been "incident coordinator" for the World Trade Center attacks, had been compiling the list, but that duty has now shifted to Chief of Detectives William Allee, whose officers typically handle missing persons cases.
Campisi had predicted the number would continue to drop as the department heard from foreign embassies, which have continued to track down international visitors who had been feared lost, and as other invalid reports were eradicated.
Because of the gruesome nature of the crime, in which suicidal hijackers crashed two jetliners into the Twin Towers, blowing up themselves and numerous others, the office has collected more than 13,700 human remains. The Medical examiner hopes to identify as many of these remains as possible by matching them to the list of missing with, if necessary, DNA.
"Unfortunately, in some instances personal articles submitted did not produce conclusive DNA profiles, and we now must collect more DNA material," a press release published on the site says.
The Medical examiner's office, which has been working with several family groups, would like surviving relatives to check its list of missing at http://www.nyc.gov/html/em/dnapr.html. Those whose lost family member appears on the list should call 212-477-7884 to see whether they need to submit additional DNA samples.
"We'll be able to review our records and see whether we have sufficient information or whether we need additional samples," said Assuming additional DNA is needed, Borakove said, the Medical examiner's office would make an appointment to collect the samples.
"It's the same as we've been asking for &endash; toothbrushes, unwashed clothing, hairbrushes," Borakove said. "We would like cheek swabs from as many members of the family as possible
In a message dated 1/28/02 11:03:16 AM, Peter in Illinois writes: John, Saw this in today's Sun-Times, thought it would be of interest to the group. - Peter
O'Hare, cemeteries clash
January 28, 2002
BY ROBERT C. HERGUTH TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
Although it doesn't own the property, the City of Chicago is restricting access to two private cemeteries next to O'Hare Airport, refusing at least a few times in recent months to let relatives visit their dead on weekdays.
A spokeswoman for Chicago's Aviation Department said security was tightened in "remote" areas around O'Hare after Sept. 11, but "there's been no overt policy change" regarding the cemeteries. There have always been weekday visitor restrictions, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
If so, they were never enforced, cemetery officials contend. They oppose plans to relocate their cemeteries to expand O'Hare's runways and believe the city is trying to "increase the pressure" for development under the guise of increased security.
"We don't really buy their statement that it's added security," said Randall Putman, outgoing council president of St. John's United Church of Christ in Bensenville. St. Johannes Cemetery--which, like Resthaven Cemetery, is just west of O'Hare--is affiliated with the church. "We kind of think that they're making it a little bit harder for us."
Said church pastor Vernon Clausing: "The city doesn't want the cemetery there; it's a thorn for them. So they're trying to be gracious, but at the same time, they're letting us know they're seemingly in control. . . . The agreement was we would always have access to it."
In recent months, a relative drove from Wisconsin to visit family buried at St. Johannes, only to be denied entry by city employees, Putman said. Putman himself wasn't allowed in last week. Another church member previously was turned away, said Bob Sell, a lawyer with an estimated 100 relatives buried at St. Johannes.
He said the city should "come up with some reasonable accommodation" if it has legitimate security concerns.
"They're breaking state law by not providing access to private property," said Putman, who is drafting a letter to the city Aviation Department to detail his concerns.
The only real way to reach the cemeteries is to drive along a city-controlled gravel road that stretches north from Irving Park Road through a Chicago forestry yard. A gate at the mouth of the road is usually open during the day, and cemetery officials said that when it's open, the cemeteries should be--and before Sept. 11 were--accessible.
A security officer, in asking a reporter to leave the cemetery grounds last week, said the cemeteries are open only on weekends and holidays, motioning to posted visiting hours.
But cemetery officials said the city posted the signs 15 to 20 years ago. "We never agreed to those hours," Putman said.
"Prior to Sept. 11, if someone from the church or a family member wanted to go out to the cemetery, providing they got there when the gates were open and they got out there during business hours, they would let them in," he said.
Now, nobody's allowed during the week. Even on weekends, visitors must show a driver's license and explain the purpose of their visit, Putman said. He said the restrictions do little to enhance security, noting that anybody wanting "to get onto that road going into that cemetery . . . could basically walk right down the railroad tracks."
But Bond said the restrictions are in place not only because of security concerns stemming from the terrorist attacks, but also because of safety concerns related to those tracks, which have no crossing signals, and the heavy machinery operating nearby.
"Let's be clear, it has nothing to do with anything other than maintaining a safe and secure environment," she said Wednesday. "It has nothing to do with any development or any expansion plans."
Later in the week, she seemed to offer an olive branch: "We haven't been approached or advised that they're displeased with those visiting hours. We're willing to work something out."
Cemetery officials wonder why they haven't been approached by the city since it's the city "clamping down."
Bob Placek, a member of Resthaven's board, said that at least the city didn't halt a mid-week burial last month. He said, however, he phoned ahead to make sure the gate would be open and to explain the situation.
Jim Johnson, who has relatives buried at St. Johannes and is an administrator for the Village of Bensenville, called the visiting hours "phony" and said his impression was "that access cannot be denied, particularly to family members, at any time."
Sell added: "From my perspective, I think what the city is trying to do here is increase the pressure upon a lot of innocent folks that have one interest in mind, and that's seeing to it that their relatives rest in peace."
In a message dated 1/28/02 8:05:57 AM, Chris@theoutlookgroup.com writes:
OUTLOOK GROUP RECORDS FIFTEENTH CONSECUTIVE RECORD YEAR
Franklin, OH. The Outlook Group, Inc. achieved a fifteenth consecutive
record sales year in 2001 posting $27 million in funeral prearrangement
sales. In making the announcement, Charles W. Anderson, President & CEO
heart warmingly thanked all those who made it happen including Advance
Funeral Planning Professionals (AFPP), funeral home affiliates, corporate
office management & staff and affiliated funding and marketing partners.
The Outlook Group, Inc., headquartered in Franklin, Ohio, is an
independently owned and operated funeral prearrangement sales and marketing
company serving family owned and operated funeral homes across America. >>
In a message dated 2/10/02 11:12:09 AM, John in Wisconsin writes:
Two Funeral Home Workers Found Dead
.c The Associated Press
HUDSON, Wis. (AP) - A coroner who went to a funeral home to get a death certificate signed discovered the director and an intern shot to death, and an investigator said the two were murdered.
There were no suspects in the slayings and the motive was unknown, said police Sgt. Marty Jensen.
``It doesn't appear to be robbery or burglary at this point,'' Jensen said.
The coroner found the bodies Tuesday in an office in the back of the building. Jensen said the victims were Daniel O'Connell, 39, who ran O'Connell Family Funeral Home with his brother and father, and James Ellison, 22.
Ellison was a University of Minnesota student who had spent the past several months at the funeral home as an intern, according to his brother.
``We can't imagine why someone would do this,'' Jordan Ellison said. ``We think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.''
Police found no signs of a disturbance except in the office where the bodies were found, and nothing appeared to be stolen, Jensen said. He said his department had been alerted to a string of funeral home break-ins in St. Paul, Minn., about 20 miles west of Hudson.
Jensen said no slayings have been reported in Hudson, a town of about 6,000, since 1978
In a message dated 2/8/02 9:13:09 PM, Bill in Maryland writes: John I can't find the original article, but it is nice to see we make the news sometimes.
AP Corrects Black Funeral Homes
.c The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In a Jan. 8 story about the black funeral home industry, The Associated Press erroneously reported that, according to the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, the average black funeral home does between 500 and 1,000 funerals a year and, if sold, would fetch between $1 million and $2 million. Association Executive Director Sharon Seay said such figures would apply to a very high-volume black funeral home.
In a message dated 2/6/02 11:20:32 PM, Chet in Ohio writes: John here is a job for DMORT!
Piles of dead show grim vision of Nigerian life
By Matthew Tostevin
LAGOS, Nigeria (Reuters) - Unclaimed and decomposing in the heat, corpses piled up Thursday at Femi Olugbile's hospital in Lagos.
The silent casualties of Nigeria's ammunition dump explosion tell another sad tale in the story of a disaster-prone country where man-made tragedies keep happening on a terrifying scale.
"We have done a lot to develop our emergency response capability, especially since hundreds died last year in kerosene explosions," said Olugbile, medical director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
"Unfortunately, of those people who are coming in right now, very few are in need of medical care," he told Reuters.
"They are already dead."
At least 600 people died as a result of Sunday's ammunition dump explosion in Africa's biggest city, most of them killed in a stampede for safety that ended in the dark waters of filthy drainage canals.
It was a sad chain of coincidences that could have been broken at almost any stage.
Bombs and shells were stored in a densely populated area. Somehow a fire started nearby and they began exploding. People with no idea what was happening panicked and fled. In the unlit night they did not see the slippery banks of the canal.
Relatives with handkerchiefs pressed to their faces gathered near the morgue, where the sharp smell of liberally swabbed disinfectant could not disguise death's penetrating, metallic odor.
"Embalmment (mandatory) -- 5,000 naira, post mortem -- 2,000 naira, court appearances -- negotiable," reads a notice painted in crude letters at the entrance of a hospital which has to earn what it can, even from impoverished families. Five thousand naira is worth $44, and 2000 naira $18.
UNIDENTIFIED DEAD
This time, nobody knows who might claim the dead and the hospital has paid for embalmment. From compassion, and the practical need of getting rid of the bodies, it has also waived the usual storage fee paid on collection.
The 64 bodies in the morgue Thursday were rapidly becoming more difficult to identify as they swelled in the heat.
Asked if it was possible to get used to the smell after a while, morgue worker Rasheed Isola clipped back, "why not?" in apparently stunned surprise at the question.
A Lagos morgue needs to be prepared for overload.
As well as the deaths caused by adulterated kerosene explosions last year, there was the usual toll from road accidents, crime and disease. The end of army rule in 1999 has also been followed by several bouts of ethnic rioting in Lagos.
Outside the city of 10 million, the recent toll of deaths from very unnatural causes is just as frightening.
A series of explosions at fuel pipelines, usually when impoverished villagers were stealing fuel, have killed more than 1,500 people since 1998 -- more than 1,000 of them in a single incident.
Last year witnessed Christian-Muslim violence which left 500 people dead, anti-American riots that cost 200 lives, the reprisal killing of 200 villagers by soldiers and a dormitory fire that burned 23 schoolgirls to death.
The year before that was even deadlier.
Olugbile is a psychiatrist by training and says that he sometimes thinks it is a good job, in his position and in his country.
"We are a society in rapid transition. A lot of things are happening and a lot of things are bottled up and when they move, they move in different directions," he said.
"We just do what we can and hope that things will move in the right way and that we don't have some sort of explosion that will destroy everything."
In a message dated 2/8/02 11:26:27 PM, Marcus in California writes:
Universal Records to Release the Highly Anticipated Soundtrack to HBO's Critically Acclaimed Series 'Six Feet Under'
Six Feet Under - Music From The Original Series in Stores on March 5
NEW YORK, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Records is set to release, Six Feet Under - Music From The Original Series, the highly anticipated soundtrack to the hit Home Box Office series "Six Feet Under," which was created by the Academy Award winning writer of "American Beauty," Alan Ball, on March 5.
The critically-acclaimed series, which was recently nominated for two American Film Institute Awards for Best Drama Series and Best Actor (Michael C. Hall), and three Golden Globes for Best TV series, Best Actor (Peter Kraus) and Best Supporting Actress (Rachel Griffiths), takes a darkly comic look at a dysfunctional family that runs an independent funeral home.
The album, Six Feet Under - Music From The Original Series, features an eclectic mix of artists and music, from classic pop doyenne Peggy Lee, to alternative rockers PJ Harvey and The Dandy Warhols, to the electronic musings of the Stereo MCs.
The first single, "Six Feet Under Main Theme," was written by Thomas Newman, the Academy Award winning composer of "American Beauty." The album also features two new remixes of the single by Photex and Rae & Christian.
The second season of "Six Feet Under" will premiere on March 3. Currently, HBO is running an encore presentation of the first season of "Six Feet Under" leading up to the premiere of the second season.
Track listing is as follows:
1 Thomas Newman "Six Feet Under Title Theme"
2 Lamb "Heaven"
3 Stereo MC's "Deep Down & Dirty"
4 Peggy Lee "I Love Being Here With You"
5 PJ Harvey "One Time Too Many"
6 The Beta Band "Squares"
7 Zero 7 "Distractions"
8 Shuggie Otis "Inspiration/Information"
9 The Dining Rooms "Pure & Easy"
10 Craig Armstrong "Let's Go Out Tonight" (feat. Paul Buchanan)
11 Classics IV "Spooky"
12 The Dandy Warhols "Bohemian Like You"
13 Orlando Cachaito Lopez "Mis Dos Pequenas"
14 Devlins "Waiting" (Tom Lord-Alge Remix)
15 Thomas Newman "Six Feet Under Title Theme"
(Rae & Christian Remix)
16 Thomas Newman "Six Feet Under Title Theme" (Photek Remix)
In a message dated 2/10/02 10:47:45 AM, DennisCMcGeeJr writes:
Ritual Ceremony & Closure
September 11, 2001, "the day America cried!" Amidst the recovery, and return to normalcy, this malicious atrocity has reminded a nation of the importance of ritual, ceremony and the need for closure. It seems in this world of instant gratification, we the people have learned to put aside feelings and emotions that could best be manifested through formalized ritual and ceremony.
From the time we begin our lives until the time they are ended we celebrate each new beginning and ending with some form of ritual and ceremony. Beginning with the cutting of the umbilical cord, separating mother from child and the start of a very new life to placing flowers on the lid of the casket at graveside, returning the body to earth from which it came. Licensed funeral service practitioners must continue to educate consumers on the importance of ritual and ceremony in order to successfully facilitate normal healing. Throughout life we acknowledge important rituals such as the turning of the tassel at graduation or the exchange of rings at wedding ceremonies but sometimes fall short in the inclusion of ritual when celebrating the summation of a life once lived. By integrating ritual into funeral experiences, religious or otherwise, mourners can reinvest in their beliefs and help to resolve their grief work. According to Dr. Alan Wolfelt, the funeral ritual is a public, traditional and symbolic means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone loved. Rich in history and rife with symbolism, the funeral ceremony helps us acknowledge the reality of the death, gives testimony to the life that was lived, encourages the expression of grief in a way consistent with the culture's values, provides support to mourns, allows for the embracing of faith and beliefs about life and death.
The funeral ceremony helps mourners begin a new life after a death, the event, has taken place. By following a set of prescribed acts mourners have the opportunity to express grief and clearly distinguish between life before death and life after death. Presentation of the deceased, the most important ritual in the funeral ceremony, affords the mourners time and a setting to publicly affirm their loss and allow them to share their emotions and memories. In the wake of "the day America cried"millions of Americans were left to mourn thousands of losses and have turned to ritual and ceremony by having memorial services, visiting ground zero and sharing stories of and about those who have died. Licensed funeral service practitioners should work diligently to educate every family that walks through the doors of funeral service and reinforce the value of both ritual and ceremony.
Families call on funeral service for closure! Families do not call on us because we have shiny, brand new hearses or because they have picked up our free calendar at their church. Families choose to call on us because we provide the most effective way to help them bring closure to their loved ones life and the events leading up to it. It is important to each and every one of us to hear words of encouragement at our best and it is equally important to feel the embrace of our loved one's during our sorrow. Meaningful funeral experiences that present the deceased to confirm the reality of the death as well as celebrate the life, personality and achievements of an individual bring closure. As a nation we were reminded of the importance of ritual, ceremony& closure in one day. As a community Licensed funeral service practitioners must continue to advocate and educate the importance of those elements in order to provide meaningful funeral experiences.
D. McGee
Dennis C. McGee, Jr., Funeral Director
Sweeney Funeral Home
337 Bridgeboro Street
Riverside, NJ 08075 USA
(856) 461-1116
DennisCMcGeeJr@aol.com
John, What kind of an animal eats it's own? Batesville is about Profit, not family, nor service or product
Hillenbrand profits up despite revenue dip
BATESVILLE, Ind., Feb 5 (Reuters) - Hillenbrand Industries Inc. <HB.N>, which provides health care and funeral services and also makes caskets, posted higher quarterly earnings on Tuesday although revenues fell.
Hillenbrand posted net income of $63 million, or $1.01 a share in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2001, compared with $48 million, or 76 cents a share, in the previous year's period.
Excluding unusual items, earnings rose to 98 cents a share from 83 cents a year before. The prior year first quarter was recast from previously announced results to reflect the change in the company's fiscal year end to Sept. 30. Hillenbrand's stock rose after the announcement and was up $2.70, or 4.74 percent, at $59.69 at noon on the New York Stock Exchange, its highest level in over three years.
Hillenbrand said revenues fell 6.5 percent to $543 million from $587 million primarily as a result of high-yield bond impairments and realized losses in its Forethought Financial Services Inc. investment portfolio. Forethought provides insurance and financial products and services for pre-planning funerals. In addition, the revenue short-fall was a result of it being a 13-week quarter compared with 14 weeks in the prior year quarter. The company said lower revenue was offset in part by strong sales and improved mix in its Hill-Rom capital sales, higher units in use and better collection of Medicare receivables in Hill-Rom therapy rentals. Hill-Rom Co. is Hillenbrand's health care business providing sales, rentals, service and support for such products as beds and incubators. Hillenbrand also cited strong unit shipments and better pricing and an improved mix at Batesville Casket, which is part of its funeral services business. The net unusual charges included $11 million, or 11 cents a share, related to the realignment of certain operations, the write-down of certain underperforming assets and the reversal of certain prior unusual charge provisions.
Also, the results included net unusual charges of $6 million, or 6 cents a share, related to the retirement of Hillenbrand's former chief executive and the reversal of $26 million, or 40 cents a share, of tax reserves previously provided for potential disallowances and valuation reserves no longer considered necessary.
It also said consolidated gross profit margins increased to 42 percent from 40.6 percent.
"We achieved record pro forma earnings per share for fiscal 2002 first quarter despite a modest decline in revenues driven primarily by bond impairments and realized losses at Forethought," said President and Chief Executive Frederick Rockwood.
"These are exciting times for our corporation," he said, adding that Hillenbrand raised its dividend by an annualized rate of 9.5 percent last month.
Looking ahead, the company said it estimates fiscal 2002 earnings in the range of $3.30 to $3.35 a share before special items.
13:13 02-05-02
MORE
A former sales rep writes!
John,
Batesville is not in financial trouble. The changes taking place are a result of new management and the Hillenbrand family no longer being involved in running the business. However, I think the new Batesville management is acting like the management of Enron- screw the employee and the customer.
All that matters is Wall Street and the potential reward that management will get if they have success in increasing the stock price. Batesville is now only interested in serving customers that will make them more profitable.
And on the same note, they will manufacture only products that make them the most money. So, they don't care if they loose customers, unless of course you are an account that is viewed as highly profitable according to their computer model. As far as product is concerned, I think quality is going down and some decisions being made may even border on unethical. I know this was the case at least with the stainless steel line.
MORE
In a message dated 2/9/02 4:15:28 PM, Steve in Arizona writes:
Dear John,
Here we go again with corporate doublespeak. Why can't anyone tell the truth? If Batesville has laid off 70 sales reps. why can't they admit that? They don't think it hurts their credibility? How can we believe them in the future if we are not getting the straight scoop now?
Batesville can't give a straight answer on the SCI deal.NFDA lies and misleads when they are caught. And they don't think this damages their image more than an honest answer? Sad.
The truth always hurts less than the damage the cover up does. Ask Bill Clinton.
Steve in AZ
MORE
In a message dated 2/11/02 12:29:07 PM, CG in Louisana writes:
Maybe Batesville finally woke up and realized some of the reps practices was not in the best interest of the company. Any company depending on sales to succeed must supply as much of the market as possible while maintaining the integrity of their company. My small funeral home opened in 1999 and has been deprived of Batesville products since. The salesman for my area happens to be very good friends with my competitor therefore he refuses to service my home. Business practices such as these may have worked in days gone by, however this kind of thinking can bring down any company no matter the size. Refusing sales along with the increase in cremation has changed the bottom line of several companies and maybe Batesville realizes it is time to get rid of the buddy system. As a business owner of over 30 years I can only imagine where I would be today if I allowed my employees to make important company decisions based on personal feelings. I am doing fine with York caskets and each one I sell not only takes one away from Batesville but brightens the future for York sales.
In a message dated 2/11/02 5:40:04 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
In a message dated 2/12/02 7:10:57 AM, Ed in New York City writes:
In a message dated 2/12/02 8:32:42 AM, Rita in New York writes:
In a message dated 2/12/02 9:49:59 AM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
By The Associated Press
February 11, 2002, 12:06 PM EST
Paramedics mistakenly declared a 77-year-old woman dead after finding her unconscious on her bathroom floor, a blunder that went undiscovered for hours until she woke up while being put into a body bag.
The woman, Frances Foster of Brooklyn, had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized Saturday in critical condition.
"I called everyone and had to tell them my mother was dead, then only to call back and say she's alive," said daughter Kim Foster Littlejohn. "She could have been at the hospital getting taken care of. What a costly mistake."
She said a medical examiner's official didn't discover Foster was alive until she was being put into the bag. "He told me ... she suddenly moved and opened her eyes and he jumped back, startled," she said.
Foster died early Monday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The two paramedics called to Foster's home Saturday, who were not identified, were placed on desk duty pending an investigation. They found Foster lying on her bathroom floor and pronounced her dead at 2:21 p.m.
A discrepancy remains over when Foster was reported alive.
Littlejohn said the mistake was discovered at 7 p.m., hours after police arrived.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office, said that her office was notified of the presumed death at 3:41 p.m. and that Foster was reported alive at 5:35 p.m.
Donald Faeth, of the union that represents EMTs and paramedics, said Foster was "cold to the touch" and that one of her legs was bent and wouldn't straighten, leading the paramedics to assume rigor mortis had set in.
Littlejohn said she hadn't heard from her mother in about 10 days so she called authorities to open her apartment door.
Foster, a retired nurse, had no specific health problems but had been in declining health after losing her two sons to illness in less than two years, Littlejohn said.
"She stopped paying attention to her diet and started getting frail," she said. "It took a real toll." Copyright © 2002, Newsday, Inc.
MORE
'CORPSE' SHOCKS
DOCS IN B'KLYN
By LARRY CELONA and JAMIE SCHRAM FRANCES FOSTER:
She survives "death."
February 11, 2002 -- EMS paramedics mistakenly pronounced a 77-year-old Brooklyn woman dead - and it was three hours before anyone noticed the comatose woman was breathing and rushed her to a hospital, police said yesterday. Frances Foster's daughter Kim Littlejohn called police Saturday afternoon because she was unable to get into her mother's Park Slope apartment after not hearing from her for several days. Cops entered the apartment on 10th Street and found Foster lying unconscious in the bathroom. Two EMS paramedics arrived at about 2:20 p.m. and pronounced Foster dead. Police called the Medical Examiner's Office to remove the body - but when a coroner's investigator arrived at 5:35 p.m., he was shocked to see Foster open her eyes. She was rushed to Methodist Hospital, where she remained in critical condition yesterday. The two emergency medical technicians who pronounced Foster dead were placed on modified duty and, for the time being, barred from treating patients, said FDNY spokesman Mike Prendergast. The case is being investigated by the Fire Department and the state Health Department. Prendergast declined to identify the EMTs, but said one of them was a 16-year veteran. "I just couldn't believe it, after all those hours she was pronounced dead. It was unbelievable," said Littlejohn, 40, who lives in Queens. "The coroner came . . . and he checked her out. She pulled her arm up and her eyes opened up. And the coroner said, 'This woman is alive.' "And then the coroner said, 'I've never seen anything like this in the 15 years I've been working.' " Littlejohn said she was happy to learn her mother was alive, but angry at the way she had been treated. Littlejohn's son, Anthony, 27, said doctors told the family Foster was brain dead, and that it was unclear how long she had been unconscious when she was found. "My mother was shocked. She's really upset about what happened," Anthony said.
MORE
Granny's Kin Blame Medics
Say she's dead because of blunder
By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY and ALICE McQUILLAN
Daily News Staff Writers
he grieving relatives of an elderly woman mistakenly declared dead Saturday by city paramedics suggested that her death in a Brooklyn hospital yesterday could have been prevented if not for the blunder.
Frances Foster
Frances Foster, 77, lay untreated for hours after being left for dead in the bathroom of her Park Slope apartment Saturday. A medical examiner's official finally discovered that the retired nurse was alive when she moved and opened her eyes as he tried to put her into a body bag.
The great-grandmother was taken to New York Methodist Hospital, where she died early yesterday without regaining consciousness.
"She suffered so long, to have someone so beautiful die like that, it's so painful," said Foster's sister, Rose Fowler, 74. "They might have saved her life, but they left her there cold and in pain. We're heartbroken."
Foster's granddaughter, Doris Littlejohn, added: "We're ... devastated. Emotionally we've been so up and down."
The hospital said Foster never recovered from a stroke she suffered sometime before she was found Saturday &emdash; 10 days after she last spoke to her daughter. An autopsy was scheduled for today.
Allan Cooke and Carlos Mullin, the Emergency Medical Service technicians who made the error, have been placed on desk duty pending an investigation by the Fire Department and the state Health Department, an FDNY spokesman said.
A top union official defended the men, saying they were distraught over the women's death and had sought help from FDNY counselors.
Mullin, 23, a rookie who began work last fall, was very upset, said Donald Faeth, vice president of Local 2507, which represents the city's 2,600 emergency medical technicians.
"He told me, 'If I had any idea or any indication that she was alive, I definitely would have worked her up and brought her to the hospital,'" Faeth said. "He said this was a complete shock to him."
Standard Tests
Mullin and Cooke, 39, an EMT since 1987, told superiors they performed several tests before wrongly concluding that Foster was dead.
Based on their accounts, Faeth said, the EMTs followed proper procedures.
Cooke, the first to reach Foster, described her as lifeless. He said he detected a strong odor, like decomposing flesh.
He said Foster's eyes were slightly open but fixed. On the skin of her right arm, Cooke said, he saw purplish coloring that comes when blood isn't circulating. He checked for a pulse in the carotid artery in her neck but found none, he said.
Mullin said he tried for 30 seconds to find a pulse in Foster's carotid artery, then for another half-minute pressed his hand against her chest but felt no heartbeat. He said there was no flexibility when he tried moving her left leg, and he noticed that her fingernails were purple.
"She just presented so many signs that I think that any medical professional that went in there would have a difficult time making a different presumptive diagnosis," said Faeth.
In a message dated 2/12/02 9:56:12 AM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
GROUND ZERO CREW NEAR TRAGIC TROVE OF BODIES
By WILLIAM NEUMAN
February 12, 2002 -- Searchers at Ground Zero believe they are on the verge of discovering a significant number of bodies in the debris from the collapsed lobby of the World Trade Center's north tower. "Now that we've worked our way down to those levels we're hoping that we'll have a lot more recoveries," said Port Authority Police Lt. John Ryan. "We expect in the north tower area to find other people, in particular firemen and rescue workers and civilians," said Ryan, who oversees Port Authority cops working on the recovery effort. "This week and the next three weeks, hopefully we'll be coming across a lot of the people that were lost." The bodies of five Port Authority police officers were discovered Saturday in what was once the north tower's lobby - now sunk five floors below street level. The body of an unidentified woman was found with them, strapped into a first aid chair they were using to carry her out of the building. The cops and the woman were apparently just steps from escaping the tower when it collapsed. The discovery has given heart to recovery workers who believe many other cops and firemen may have been about to leave the building when it came down. Ryan said the Port Authority, the Fire Department and the NYPD have all tried to pinpoint areas where they believe their members were when the collapse occurred, based on interviews from survivors, radio communications at the time and other evidence. "It's difficult to put a number on it. A lot of factors come into play," Ryan said. "There's the force of the building collapsing, you've got people aware the south tower collapsed and now they hear some other rumblings and maybe they're in the process of trying to get out." But he cautioned that workers had been frustrated once already when they had hoped to find a large number of remains in what had been a staging area for rescuers near the Marriott Hotel - but found fewer bodies than they'd expected. Ryan also said work has progressed in building tie-backs into the so-called bathtub wall, opening up new areas of north tower debris to be cleared away, and with it the potential for more remains to be found. In other developments, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., charged with leading the rebuilding of the trade center site, moved into temporary offices yesterday on the 40th floor of One Liberty Plaza, overlooking Ground Zero.
In a message dated 2/11/02 2:56:04 PM, Susan in North Carolina writes: John, Thank you so much for 'spreading' my request for prayers for Ann Dellinger. When I know the arrangements tomorrow, I will try to compose an appropriate thank you to all those who have prayed for her. I received emails from funeral folks from several states, and I know you were responsible for most of that. Thank you so much for this wonderful 'ministry for funeral folks'...most of the time we don't have time to 'be there' for one another because we are busy 'being there' for the families we serve. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Susan Cox, Taylorsville, NC
MORE
In a message dated 2/12/02 4:19:28 PM, Christian from Massachusetts writes:
John- Just a quick and sad note to inform you and the readers that Ann Dellinger died as a result of her pancreatic cancer yesterday morning, Monday, February 11, 2002.
When I began with Homesteaders Life, Ann began with me. We started in January 2002, and she was suffering from her illness then. She leaves behind a very elderly and sickly father, and a grown special needs son. She exuded class and warmth; her family and the Homesteaders family has lost a great friend and person.
Christian Hood
In a message dated 2/8/02 2:24:35 PM, lacorn@icfa.org writes:
For More Information, Please Contact:
Linda Budzinski
1-800-645-7700
lacorn@icfa.org
MUSIC LICENSING: DISPELLING THE MYTHS
RESTON, VA (February 8, 2002) &emdash; To license or not to license? For
funeral homes, that can be a difficult and confusing question. There are
many widely circulated myths about funeral home music licensing. Because
the cost of making misinformed decisions can be great, the Music License
Coalition offers the following facts to help clear up some common
misconceptions.
MYTH: Funeral services are exempt from licensing requirements.
FACT: Licensing is required for businesses in which copyrighted music is
played &endash; either via recording or live performance &endash; "at a place open to
the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside
of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is
gathered." Exceptions are made only for a select list of uses, including
teaching activities at nonprofit educational institutions and religious
services at places of worship.
MYTH: My funeral home is small and therefore exempt from licensing
requirements.
FACT: The Fairness in Music Licensing Act of 1998 does make exceptions
for small businesses of 2,000 square feet or less. However, this
exemption applies only to radio and television broadcasts. Funeral homes
that use live or recorded music are not exempt.
MYTH: If families bring in the music themselves or the music is
performed live, the music does not require licensing, or it is the
responsibility of the family and performers to acquire the necessary
licenses.
FACT: According to the Better Business Bureau, the proprietor of the
business in which the music is performed is responsible for obtaining
licensing and is liable for any copyright infringements.
MYTH: Getting a music license is just a hassle and an unnecessary
expense.
FACT: Licensing is the law and is the responsibility of all ethical
business owners. Singers, songwriters and their recording companies own
these copyrighted songs and have a legal right to receive payment for
their use. The vast majority &endash; about 83 percent &endash; of fees paid to the
music licensing agencies are in turn paid directly to the artists and
their recording companies.
Neglecting to obtain a license can have serious consequences. Small
businesses have been fined up to $20,000 for using copyrighted music
without a license.
MYTH: Obtaining a license is prohibitively expensive.
FACT: The Music License Coalition is working to obtain licenses from all
three licensing agencies &endash; American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers (ASCAP), BMI and SESAC &endash; at a price of $185 per year, with no
additional membership dues or fees.
For more information on music licensing, visit:
o Music License Coalition: www.icfa.org/music/
o Better Business Bureau: www.bbb.org/library/music.asp
o ASCAP: www.ascap.com
o BMI: www.bmi.com
o SESAC: www.sesac.com
The Music License Coalition is a group of 2,000+ funeral homes from
throughout the United States formed for the sole purpose of obtaining
music licensing at a group discount. Members pay no dues or additional
fees. Upon reaching a threshold of 5,000 members, the Coalition will
begin offering music licensing from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC at a cost of
just $185. For more information or to join the Coalition, call
1-800-645-7700.
MORE
In a message dated 2/14/02 9:36:32 PM, Dan in California writes:
Dear John,
Regarding "According to the Better Business Bureau, the proprietor of the business in which the music is performed is responsible for obtaining licensing and is liable for any copyright infringements". This statement ignores a very simple concept which is that a family who rents a room has ever right to play any music they want if the funeral director is neither providing or charging for music. The whole thing is fishy and association executives were far to willing to "negotiate" with our money and perhaps giving up some of our rights along the way. Just food for thought. Dan-SF
In a message dated 1/25/02 8:15:14 AM, lacorn@icfa.org writes:
*************************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS &endash; January 22, 2002 Edition Vol. 3 No. 2
*************************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS is a biweekly electronic newsletter bringing members of
the International Cemetery and Funeral Association the latest government
and legal, industry and association news. It is available to all ICFA
members current on their dues. Comments, questions and "hot news tips"
are welcome. Write to: mailto:wireless@icfa.org .
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
FTC Announces Proposed Telemarketing Sales Rule -
Refers Preneed Exemption Issue to Funeral Rule Review
FTC Acknowledges Funeral Rule Review Impacts Small Businesses
VA Sets 2002 Cash Allowance for Privately Purchased Graveliners
Cash Method Accounting Available for More Small Businesses - But Be Careful
ICFA NEWS
ICFA, Gary O'Sullivan Present Five One-Day Preneed Sales Seminars
ICFA Extends Early Bird Convention Discount Deadline to January 28
January Product of the Month: Eric Marmorek's Preneed Classics
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
FTC ANNOUNCES PROPOSED TELEMARKETING SALES RULE
Refers Preneed Exemption Issue to Funeral Rule Review
Today the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published its long-awaited
proposals to amend the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The Rule
requires, among other things, that telemarketers make certain
disclosures to consumers when attempting to sell products and services
by phone. However, the TSR contains an exemption for calls where no sale
is made until after a face-to face meeting between buyer and seller.
Most preneed calls seek only to make appointments for a meeting and
therefore qualify for this exemption. The ICFA was instrumental in
obtaining the exemption when the TSR was enacted in 1995 and was the
only funeral services trade association to file comments in the current
review proceedings.
Today's FTC announcement proposes to retain the exemption but "believes
that the sale of preneed funeral goods and services would be more
appropriately addressed in the Funeral Rule, which is currently under
review by the Commission." The TSR amendments also propose the creation
of a national "Do-Not-Call" list that all telemarketers must comply
with. The ICFA will be submitting comments on the proposals, which are
due by March 29, 2002. Details of the TSR proposals may be found at
http://www.ftc.gov under "Consumer Protection."
---------------------------------------------------
FTC ACKNOWLEDGES FUNERAL RULE REVIEW IMPACTS SMALL BUSINESSES
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published its semi-annual
regulatory agenda as required by law. The publication of the agenda
serves to notify the public of specific projects and estimated
deadlines. (See the December 11, 2001, edition of the WIRELESS for
information on the timetable for the Funeral Rule.) In addition, the FTC
is required to designate rulemakings that will have an impact on small
businesses under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). Until recently,
the Funeral Rule was listed as having little or no impact on small
business entities, based on the RFA disclosure requirements.
However, due to an Executive Order issued by President Bush last July,
federal agencies such as the FTC now list optional information not
required by the RFA. As a result, in last month's announcement the FTC
stated that several rulemaking proceedings including the Funeral Rule
"are likely to have some impact on small entities." The Agency did not
elaborate on this statement, but the ICFA is contacting Commission staff
to pursue discussions.
---------------------------------------------------
VA SETS 2002 CASH ALLOWANCE FOR PRIVATELY PURCHASED GRAVELINERS
On January 17, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced
its newly revised 2002 cash allowance amount for outer burial containers
that are privately purchased by families for placement in national
cemeteries. According to the VA, the allowance is based on "taking the
VA's total cost during a fiscal year for single-depth graveliners ...
and dividing by the total number of such graveliners procured by VA....
The calculation excludes both graveliners procured and pre-placed in
gravesites ... and all double-depth graveliners."
Based on this method, the VA determined the average cost to be $153.70
for fiscal year 2001. After deducting administrative expenses incurred
by the VA for processing and paying the cash allowance, calculated at
$9.50 per liner, the net allowance for qualifying interments during
calendar year 2002 is $144.29. This cash allowance is about $2 more than
the 2001allowance of $142.23. Information on VA burial benefits may be
found at http://www.va.gov .
---------------------------------------------------
CASH METHOD ACCOUNTING AVAILABLE FOR MORE SMALL BUSINESSES &endash; BUT BE
CAREFUL
In late December, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a
proposed revenue procedure (Notice 2001-76) that will allow small
businesses with less than $10 million in annual gross receipts and that
sell some inventoriable goods to use, for the first time, the cash
receipts and disbursements method of accounting. Though the procedure is
described as "proposed," the IRS states that qualifying businesses may
rely on it for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2001.
According to IRS, this new procedure should "reduce administrative and
tax compliance burdens on certain small businesses" that until now were
required to use the accrual method of accounting. However, a review of
the procedure suggests that it may be intended primarily for "service"
retailers that derive the majority of their gross receipts from the sale
of services rather than merchandise. Some busineses are specifically
listed as ineligible to use the new procedure, including florists and
"cemetery memorial dealers." Since the procedure is geared primarily to
services, cemeteries and funeral homes considering the use of the new
procedure should carefully evaluate the source of their gross receipts
with knowledgeable tax professionals prior to adopting this method.
Members who would like a copy of IRS Notice 2001-76 should email the
ICFA at mailto:wireless@icfa.org .
---------------------------------------------------
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
ICFA, GARY O'SULLIVAN PRESENT FIVE ONE-DAY PRENEED SALES SEMINARS
The ICFA and preneed sales and marketing expert Gary O'Sullivan, CCE,
are teaming up in 2002 to offer five one-day seminars for sales
counselors in cities throughout the United States. "Selling Skills to
Increase Your Selling Power" will be held at the following locations:
March 19 &endash; Nashville Marriott Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee;
May 7 &endash; Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, California;
May 8 &endash; Hilton San Diego/Del Mar, Del Mar, California;
May 14 &endash; Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites, Indianapolis, Indiana;
and
May 16 &endash; Tysons Westpark Hotel, McLean, Virginia.
Designed for today's frontline preneed sales staff, the seminars cover
the full range of practical sales issues, such as "Dealing with
Prospecting Reluctance," "How to See More People in Less Time," "Making
the First Sale: The Appointment," "Principles of an Effective
Presentation," "Power Skills for Referrals," "Understanding and Dealing
with Objections" and "The Service of Family Service."
Two pilot seminars held in October 2001 drew a total of 167 attendees,
who overwhelmingly rated the content and the presentation as
"excellent."
The cost of the seminars for ICFA members is just $110 for one employee
or $99 each for two or more employees. Complete program and registration
information is available by calling 1-800-645-7700 or at
http://www.icfa.org/osullivan02.htm.
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ICFA EXTENDS EARLY BIRD CONVENTION DISCOUNT DEADLINE TO JANUARY 28
In response to numerous requests from members, the ICFA is extending its
deadline for saving up to $65 off the ICFA Annual Convention early
registration fee until Monday, January 28. This gives you just six more
days to take advantage of significant savings on the industry's most
informative and enjoyable Convention.
The ICFA 2002 Convention & Exposition, April 24-27 in Orlando, Florida,
will feature three days of "no fluff" educational programming as well as
an extensive exhibit hall featuring more than 180 supplier booths. The
$65 discount card, as well as the complete program and registration
forms, are available at http://www.icfa.org/AC02.htm or by calling
1-800-645-7700.
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JANUARY PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: ERIC MARMOREK'S PRENEED CLASSICS
For the month of January, the ICFA is offering tremendous savings on
Eric Marmorek's classic books: The Art of Getting an Interview, Tools
and Techniques of Persuasion and The More Objections the Better. One of
the founding fathers of preneed marketing, Marmorek's hallmark titles
are being offered as a set. Regular Price for all three titles: $18;
January Price: $10!
For additional information on these product discounts, visit
http://www.icfa.org/jan.htm or call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
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AND MORE É
The ICFA has spearheaded the Music License Coalition to obtain
discounted music licensing for industry members. The goal of the
Coalition is to offer a discount price of $185 annually for licensing
from BMI, ASCAP and SESAC beginning January 1, 2003. Membership in the
Coalition is free and is not tied to membership in any other industry
organization. For more information or to join the Coalition, visit
http://www.icfa.org/music/ or call 1-800-645-7700.
The recently created ICFA Idea Network on the association's Web site
provides a forum for cemeterians, funeral directors, suppliers and
others to share ideas and discussion on all areas of operations.
Currently, the page includes messages regarding preneed marketing,
perpetual care policies and the industry's response to the September 11
attack on America. To access the page, visit
http://www.icfa.org/ideanetwork.htm .
The ICFA News Page offers a timely collection of interesting and useful
news items related to the cemetery and funeral industry, small business
and current events. Located at http://www.icfa.org/newspage.htm, the
News Page compiles articles from around the world and is updated
regularly.
The ICFA uses a national media placement agency to distribute an ongoing
series of newspaper articles and radio announcements with positive
preneed and memorialization messages. Placements to date have been
highly successful, reaching hundreds of markets throughout the country.
For more information and to view copies of the actual releases, visit
http://www.icfa.org/media.htm .
The ICFA has published its 2001-2002 Buyer's Guide and Membership
Directory, an invaluable industry resource offering complete listings of
ICFA member cemeteries, funeral homes and allied members; industry
suppliers; international, national, regional and state associations;
state funeral boards and cemetery regulators; individuals working in the
industry; and more. A must for all key staff, copies are available for
purchase at a member price of just $25. For information or to order,
call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's
benefit program offering free telephone legal consultations at
http://www.icfa.org/pepperman.htm .
ICFA members can establish their own Web sites for just $14.95 per
month, with no up-front fees. FuneralAssistant.com provides complete Web
site design, up to six pages; monthly site hosting; assignment of a
Keyword that directs Internet customers to the site; and Web site
updates. For more information, visit http://www.icfa.org/WebBenefit.htm
.
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BLOCKED ACCESS
Due to problems with the NIMDA Internet virus, the ICFA has had to block
certain servers from accessing its Web site. If you are experiencing
problems accessing the site, please contact your Internet Service
Provider to ensure they are virus-free and then call the ICFA to have
your server unblocked.
NOTE TO AOL USERS
There have been problems reported accessing the links in the document
for people using AOL e-mail addresses. Until we find a workaround for
this, you may need to type in or cut and paste the e-mail and Web
addresses to access these links.
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CHANGE E-MAIL
If you want to change the e-mail address for receiving ICFA WIRELESS,
please send an e-mail to mailto:wireless@icfa.org . Type "e-mail address
change" in the subject line. In the body, type in your name, company
name, city, state, current e-mail address and preferred new e-mail
address.
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UNSUBSCRIBE
If you want to unsubscribe from ICFA WIRELESS, please send an e-mail to
mailto:wireless@icfa.org. Type "unsubscribe" in the subject line. In the
body, type in your name, company name, city, state, and e-mail address.
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International Cemetery and Funeral Association
1895 Preston White Drive, Suite 220
Reston, VA 20191
1-800-645-7700
(703) 391-8400
fax (703) 391-8416
http://www.icfa.org
Copyright 2002 International Cemetery and Funeral Association
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ICFA WIRELESS - February 5, 2002 Edition Vol. 3 No. 3
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ICFA WIRELESS is a biweekly electronic newsletter bringing members of the
International Cemetery and Funeral Association the latest government and
legal, industry and association news. It is available to all ICFA members
current on their dues. Comments, questions and "hot news tips" are welcome.
Write to: mailto:wireless@icfa.org .
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
President Bush's 2003 Budget Proposes More National Cemeteries
FTC Holds Off on Trade Rule Reviews Scheduled for 2001 Until Backlog Cleared
IRS: Nonprofit Cemetery May Own For-Profit Pet Cemetery
ICFA NEWS
ICFA Seeks Board of Directors Nominations: Deadline February 15
'KIP' Personalization Contest Generates 50 Entries
February Product of the Month: ICFA Group Presentation Slide Show
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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PRESIDENT BUSH'S 2003 BUDGET PROPOSES MORE NATIONAL CEMETERIES
The proposed fiscal year 2003 budget unveiled by President Bush following
last week's State of the Union Address includes $88 million for new national
cemeteries under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery
Administration (VA). According to VA statistics, approximately 100,000
veterans and their eligible independents are interred each year in 120
national cemeteries and the 40 VA-funded state cemeteries, or approximately 3
to 4 percent of the annual deaths in the United States. The VA states that it
has not decided where new cemeteries should be built or how many will be
required, but the proposed budget seeks funding for construction in the
vicinity of Miami, Florida, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The VA projects that veterans' deaths will peak in three years during 2005,
then decline thereafter. Historically, a new national cemetery requires
between four to five years to open after funding has been proposed;
therefore, cemeteries currently proposed would not become operational until
the number of veterans' deaths are in decline. However, virtually all
military and veterans programs are receiving increased funding by Congress in
the wake of the September 11 attacks and the war on terrorism. For fiscal
year 2002, the VA is projected to spend $51.5 billion, of which the National
Cemetery Administration budget accounts for approximately $120 million, or
less than one-quarter of 1 percent of the VA budget.