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In a message dated 8/8/02 3:02:38 PM, Seasoned State FDA Exec. writes:
Hi John, Just a note to let you know how much I appreciate getting the FSPA updates. I miss funeral service so much, and want to go back to a state FDA. If you hear of anything, please let me know.
All inquires will be forwarded to the above person
In a message dated 8/30/02 12:12:15 PM, Chris@theoutlookgroup.com writes:
Press Release For Further Information Contact
For Immediate Release Chris Kuhnen (800) 331-6270
OUTLOOK GROUP TO PARTICIPATE IN LEE NATIONAL DENIM DAY
Franklin, OH Chris Kuhnen, Marketing Director, The Outlook Group, Inc.
today announced the company would participate in the seventh annual Lee
National Denim Day to be held Friday, October 4, 2002.
Each year, Lee Jeans invites companies and organizations nationwide to
participate by allowing employees to wear denim in exchange for a $5
donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to eradicating breast cancer. For the last six years,
Lee National Denim Day has raised awareness and funds for breast cancer
research, education, screening and treatment programs. The national goal for
contributions has been set at $7.5 million. Last year, 1.5 million people
helped raise more than $6.3 million bringing the six-year total to more than
$30 million raised on Lee National Denim Day for breast cancer research,
education, screening and treatment programs.
According to Charles W. Anderson, CEO and President, The Outlook Group, Inc.
"If $5 seems like a small amount, it's definitely not! With all our
employees joining together in making this affordable donation, we will
surely help make a difference."
Donations from Lee National Denim Day have funded everything from research
grants at the nation's most prestigious universities and teaching hospitals
to local screening and education programs to fill in gaps that other
programs may overlook. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds raised on Lee
National Denim Day supports the Komen Foundation's aware-winning Web site,
www.komen.org, which provides the latest breast health and breast cancer
information.
The Outlook Group, Inc. is a national, independently owned and operated
funeral, prearrangement sales and marketing company, which has been serving
family, owned funeral homes across America since 1985. For more information
about the company contact Chris Kuhnen, Marketing Director at (800)
331-6270.
To register your company in the Lee National Denim Day call (800) 521-5533
or visit www.denimday.com
In a message dated 8/30/02 1:08:50 PM, Betty in Ohio writes:
http://www.classactionamerica.com/cases/case.asp?cid=1823
Let them try to restrict sales to retailers, and try to hush up something like this too? Well, I get satisfaction in seeing what goes around, comes around. It irks me greatly that the company (and some funeral directors) can say this company is number one in casket sales, when in fact, it is ONLY due to the fact, they have restricted sales - not given the public freedom of choice in most funeral parlors, and trying to restrict (and it ain't working people, thank God - this is America, if a firm is a whole company, let them BE a wholesale company!!) sales of their product to casket store retailers. They indeed, would not be able to say #1 or have it carry much weight if the public knew what went on. Now, this news is fitting to a company who has tried to manipulate words in advertising, once again.
In a message dated 8/27/02 1:46:24 PM, Richard in Texas writes:
MORGUE staff received kickbacks of alcohol and lotto tickets from undertakers for referring bereaved families to them and distributing their advertising material, it has been revealed.
A confidential health department audit of mortuary services identified the practice of attendants at state government-owned facilities referring relatives to favoured funeral directors and displaying or handing out advertising brochures.
"It is not appropriate for staff to suggest any one funeral service or to distribute or display advertising material to relatives, practices which Audit encountered in some areas," the audit report said. "Such practices are not considered appropriate and should be discontinued."
Hospital morgues also agreed to stop the practice of identifying next-of-kin details on body tags as a result of the state-wide audit's findings that unscrupulous funeral directors might be using the confidential information to tout for business.
The 2000 audit report, obtained using Freedom of Information laws, said undertakers should not be given the opportunity to see body tags, medical records or police documents.
"Funeral directors have had access to confidential information relating not only to deceased being delivered or collected but also . . . to details of other bodies in the mortuary.
"For unscrupulous directors, this provides an opportunity to obtain names and addresses which can be pursued for business promotion."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 27, 2002
For Further Information, Contact:
Bill Forsberg
Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.
2913 Gardner Road,
Broadview, IL 60155
708-865-1600
Wilbert Board of Directors Creates Charitable Foundation
Chicago, IL&endash; Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc., the world's largest provider of concrete burial vaults, has announced the creation of the "Wilbert Partnership," a corporate charitable foundation supporting the meaning and value of funeral service and the importance of memorialization.
A Board of Trustees will oversee the Wilbert Partnership and its philanthropic activities. All funds will be managed by an independent investment firm.
The Wilbert Partnership will be funded annually from internal corporate profits. These funds have been used for various purposes over the years including the annual "Wilbert Party" at the NFDA Convention. The Board of Directors of Wilbert, Inc. has announced that the company will not sponsor a party at the 2002 convention in San Antonio.
According to Bill Forsberg, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales, "Many of our Licensees have concluded that their customers would prefer to have the funds spent on the annual party invested in other areas that could have a more profound impact on their individual communities as well as the profession in general. Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. has thousands of funeral home customers throughout the U.S. and Canada of which only a small fraction might attend any one annual NFDA convention. As such, the party fails to accomplish its basic function of demonstrating the Licensee's appreciation for their customers' patronage."
Mr. Curtis J. Zamec, Wilbert, Inc.'s Chairman noted, "Considering our long-standing relationship with our Licensees and funeral service professionals, we believe it is both timely and important to establish the Wilbert Partnership to make investments in the future of the profession.
Founded in 1893, Wilbert, Inc. is the privately held holding company of Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. WFSI is the leading single-source supplier of burial vaults and cremation related products and services to over 22,000 funeral homes, cemeteries and crematories in North America. With over 250 manufacturing, warehousing and distribution locations in the United States and Canada, WFSI is the largest concrete burial vault manufacturer in the world.
Pictures of the LAST? Wilbert Bash 2001
In a message dated 8/27/02 5:03:01 PM, Chris@theoutlookgroup.com writes:
PRESS RELEASE For further information contact
For Immediate Release Chris Kuhnen (800) 331-6270
OUTLOOK GROUP NAMES PREARRANGEMENT PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH
Franklin, OH. January 1,1995 The Outlook Group, Inc. instituted the
Prearrangement Professional of the Month award. The designation of
Prearrangement Professional of the Month is awarded to the individual who is
recommended to others by the families they serve, presents and assists
families with information and options about planning ahead for the future
and reaches out and assists younger families and families the funeral home
may not have otherwise served. All monthly winners have their name engraved
on a wooden plaque, which hangs in the Academy of Advance Funeral Planning
training center in Franklin, Ohio.
2001 winners were: January - Katherine Kilpatrick; February - Virginia
Billingsley; March - Susan Wallock-Pierce; April - Susan Wallock-Pierce; May
- Alice Kyle; June - Sara Tanner; July - Susan Wallock Pierce; August - Alan
Miller; September - George Yuhas; October - Judi Gault; November - Kelly
Reinhold; December - Sara Tanner. 2002 winners include: January - Art
Sellers; February - Kelley Hubbard; March - Sara Tanner; April - Kelley
Hubbard; May - Kelly Reinhold; June - Virginia Billingsley; July - Katherine
Kilpatrick.
For more information on the Prearrangement Professional of the Month award
contact Mr. Christian Chambers, Sales Director, The Outlook Group, Inc. at
(800) 331-6270 or e-mail christian@theoutlookgroup.com.
In a message dated 8/26/02 5:48:57 PM, Fred in Colorado writes:
We will welcome comments from anyone from anywhere! Please check us out and give us some feedback!
CFDA 2002 Licensing Survey Update The first four days of our survey have brought in a 24% return on practitioner attitudes. We have sufficient response to begin posting to our web site.
To see what Colorado practitioners are saying about the prospects of licensing returning to Colorado click here: http://www.cofda.org/survey/index.htm
For background on the issue in Colorado, click here: http://www.cofda.org/licensing/index.htm
Please pass this on to anyone who might find the information of interest.
Your feedback will be appreciated.
We are happy to report that more than 90 persons per day access our web site. That is more than 600 per week, some 2,700 per month or some 32,000 per year.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fred Caruso, Executive Director
Colorado Funeral Directors Association
7853 East Arapahoe Court #2100 ~ Centennial, CO 80112 USA
Phone: (303) 694-4728 Fax: (303) 694-4869
fcaruso@assnoffice.com ~ http://www.cofda.org
In a message dated 8/26/02 12:54:22 PM, Aurora writes:
<< Press Release
For more information, call
Dave Lane (513) 979-5263
dlane@auroracasket.com
August 22, 2002
Aurora's Family Advisor 8.0
Funeral Homes Improve Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction With Powerful New Software Package
Wouldn't it be great if you could enter information into your computer system just once and apply that data automatically on forms, correspondence and other documents? What if you could show families hundreds of products and actually check the availability of the caskets or urns they select before you place an order? Wouldn't your workload be lighter if you could enter a financial transaction into your system one time and instantly update all the related accounting modules? And what if you could do all this with one cost-effective, user-friendly software system?
Now you can, with Aurora Casket Company's Family Advisor 8.0, the industry's leading funeral planning software. This new release combines the popular funeral-planning features of Family Advisor with Talaris, one of the most powerful funeral home management software products available. The resulting funeral planning/funeral home management package offers funeral directors unmatched functions and flexibility.
"Incorporating Talaris is a logical next step for current Family Advisor users and an incredible opportunity for those who have been waiting to try either software program," says Chris Barrott, Aurora's Executive Vice President of Operations. "There's nothing else like this in our industry. These two programs have been combined seamlessly into one powerful software package that offers everything funeral directors need to run their businesses efficiently and meet the needs of the families they serve."
Combined Capabilities
Launched in 1998, Family Advisor is a state-of-the-art software program that provides all the tools needed to plan a funeral or memorial service&emdash;including a virtual selection room where families can examine caskets, urns and other products or watch video clips about the manufacturing process. Using the program, funeral directors can help families personalize each aspect of a funeral while tracking their costs. The program also enables funeral directors to manage inventories and order caskets online.
"Family Advisor is profitable, practical and powerful&emdash;a tool that can help funeral homes achieve customer satisfaction and business success," says Ben Melillo, Client Systems Product Manager for Aurora. "Feedback from families that have used this program pre-need or at need has been overwhelmingly positive. They tell us that they prefer selecting caskets and urns this way&emdash;rather than entering a selection room&emdash;and they are pleased to have so many product choices. Funeral directors who use Family Advisor report an increase in customer satisfaction and profitability. It's a win-win approach for funeral directors and the families they serve."
Talaris, a product of Kamber Systems Inc., is a comprehensive funeral home management and accounting system. A simple yet powerful program, Talaris allows funeral directors and administration staff immediate access to arrangement and accounting information, including a full range of financial reports, government forms, funeral service contracts and more. Constructed with state-of-the-art software technology, Talaris can import and work with any software program currently used in a funeral home.
Like Family Advisor, Talaris is adaptable to any business scenario, allowing an unlimited number of users to simultaneously access data from a variety of workstations.
Leading-Edge Companies
Due in part to its high-tech vision, Aurora is the fastest-growing manufacturer serving family-owned funeral homes. Headquartered in Aurora, Ind., Aurora Casket Company is the nation's largest privately owned manufacturer and distributor of high quality metal and hardwood caskets and cremation urns. The company also provides expert merchandising consultation to funeral homes. Last year, Aurora was ranked among the top U.S. e-commerce companies with its innovative approach to technology and e-business enterprises.
Kamber Systems Incorporated is a software solution company providing leading edge information technology products and services to the global death care service industry. With more than 40 years experience in funeral operations and administration, and over 12 years experience in the development of database and Internet enterprise applications, Kamber Systems is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the funeral software market.
For a free demonstration or to learn more about Family Advisor, call Aurora Answers at 1-800-457-1111 or visit the website at www.auroracasket.com.
In a message dated 8/25/02 10:54:45 PM, Judy in the Virgin Islands writes:
I AM THANKFUL FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, NOT WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AND BECAUSE SHE LETS LIE ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO BECAUSE
I AM HOME WITH HER AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS. (MOST OF THE TIME)
FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES, BECAUSE THAT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES THAT I PAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AM EMPLOYED.
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM IN THE SUNSHINE.
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH THAT SINGS OFF KEY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I CAN HEAR.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AM ALIVE.
AND FINALLY ... FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.
In a message dated 8/25/02 7:55:51 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
[Bangkok, August 21] - An assistant undertaker assigned to prepare the body of a woman he had been courting has been arrested after admitting to having sex with her corpse.
On Tuesday Sakchai Thammasri, 51, was arrested at his home after an abbot at a temple, Samut Prakan's Wat Thongkhoong, informed police that the coffin of Thippawan Charoenkasemsuk had been pried open and her body left naked.
Police said Sakchai, who had been infatuated with the victim, left a note to the parents of the 31-year-old woman, apologising for his actions. He then fled the Buddhist temple in Samut Prakan, 30km east of Bangkok, where the funeral was to take place.
"She is the only one I raped," Sakchai said on Thai television following his arrest.
Sakchai was reported to have been courting the woman before she contracted HIV and died of Aids.
Sangchai Laoroongreungkit, the Samut Prakan Police Captain, said Sakchai could not be charged with rape but would be charged with damaging temple property, which is punishable by a three-month jail term or a fine of about R1 557.
In a message dated 8/25/02 7:50:44 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
WILLARD, Mo. &endash; Strong storms roared through Iowa and Missouri on Friday, killing two people in a lightning strike, knocking out power and forcing officials to cancel school.The lightning strike also seriously injured two people who were in a large group at a funeral just west of Willard, in southwest Missouri, sheriff's deputy Tom Martin said.
Wind gusts of 85 mph were reported in Des Moines, Iowa, as the storms rolled through just after midnight, said Marc Russell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Kevin Waetke, a spokesman for Mid American Energy, said 50,000 Iowa customers were without power immediately after the storm. Some customers may be without power until Saturday.
Des Moines schools canceled classes after learning that power would not be immediately restored. The school year started Thursday.
Waetke said toppled trees and felled tree limbs brought down utility lines, knocking out power. Up to 4 inches of rain was reported.
The wind was comparable to a small tornado, although no tornado was reported.
Elsewhere in the Midwest, residents cleared debris and felled branches from another storm system that had raked the area Wednesday and early Thursday.
In Illinois, where the storm had knocked out power to thousands and disrupted the Thursday morning commute, there were some reports of flooding of roads and basements.
In a message dated 8/24/02 12:27:52 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
In a message dated 8/27/02 9:11:37 AM, Steve in Massachusetts writes:
BRIDGEWATER MASSACHUSETTS&emdash; Authorities are investigating a Bridgewater Funeral Director for allegedly swindling about 30 people out of more than $130,000 they paid for so-called preneed funerals.
Police know of at least two people who paid thousands of dollars to David Johnston, owner of Johnston Funeral Home on South Street, in advance for funerals, said Patrolman Dennis McLean.
However, Johnston has not returned calls to these people and police cannot find proper bank records of the money, said McLean.
"We can't locate the funds," said McLean.
Earl Haskell's mother, 84-year-old Bertha Seaver, gave Johnston $4,600 for her funeral nine years ago, and now she's worried the money is gone.
"My mother is very upset about this," said Haskell.
McLean said a second Bridgewater resident has come forward and complained that Johnston took money for preplanned funerals for his mother and father, and there is no record of the money, more than $6,000.
Police have alerted the Massachusetts Plymouth County district attorney of the allegations. Also, the state Board of Registration in Embalming and Funeral Directing is involved in the investigation, and the attorney general's office may be get involved next week.
Several sources close to the investigation said Johnston was close to selling his funeral home along with the preneed contracts, but the buyer backed out of the deal when Johnston could not produce proper records of the preneed funds.
Also, another funeral home in Bridgewater backed out of a deal to acquire Johnston's preneed contracts recently for the same reason, the sources said.
State law implemented in 1993 calls for such money to placed in trust or tied to a life insurance policy with the funeral home listed as a beneficiary, say officials. The funeral director cannot access the funds without a death certificate.
The person who purchases preneed funeral services pays federal and state taxes on interest earned in such a trust, according to state law.
Also, the funeral director is obligated to disclose the laws to the consumer and deposit preneed funds in to a state-chartered depository within three business days.
Last week, Johnston told The Enterprise his funeral home remained in operation at 76 South St. even though the property was listed in real estate ads for sale as a two-family home. The asking price is $550,000.
Johnston denied he was under investigation for any wrong doing and said he intended to keep his preneed agreements even if he sold the property.
"I'll work with someone else and run them from there or keep my business running from here," he said last week.
However, on Friday investigators said Johnston was avoiding them, and he did not return Enterprise phone calls.
Haskell said it took him months to get a hold of Johnston when he had concerned about his 84-year old mother's preneed arrangements after seeing the South Street building for sale.
In 1993, Haskell's mother, Bertha Seaver, gave Johnston $4,600 and preplanned her funeral. Last week, Johnston told Haskell he would transfer the contract to Prophett Funeral Home in Bridgewater.
However, Prophett Funeral Home backed out of a deal that would have transferred 32 pre-need contracts to them when the proper documents were not produced, investigators said.
"They told me there was no money in the funds," Haskell said.
McLean said the second victim, whose name police would not release, has been calling Johnston for weeks, but has not made contact with him.
Funeral directors are supposed to file paperwork with the state board annually detailing their preneed contracts. Last week, the Board of Registration in Embalming and Funeral Directing denied an Enterprise request for copies of the filings.
"The year-end reports and operating certificates which you requested are part of the investigation file," said spokesperson Christine Zybert in an e-mail responding to The Enterprise public records request.
Word of the alleged scandal spread fast throughout the funeral home industry late this week.
"This is a violation of a sacred trust," said Bob Biggins, director at Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home in Rockland.
Biggins is president of the New England Funeral Trust and the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association.
"It's absolutely disturbing," he said.
State law was changed in 1993 to guard against such practices, Biggins said.
MORE
In a message dated 8/30/02 1:05:50 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Bridgewater funeral director named in suit
The Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, Thursday sued a Bridgewater funeral home director accused of bilking customers out of $140,000 for prepaid funerals.
Attorney General Tom Reilly filed suit in Brockton Superior Court against David B. Johnston, owner of Johnston Funeral Home, for failing to account for money he took from 48 people in exchange for so-called pre-need funerals.
Also, Reilly gained a $200,000 attachment on Johnston's 76 South St. property, prohibiting its sale until the suit is resolved.
"My office will make every effort to get refunds for every consumer who placed deposits with this funeral home," Reilly said.
"Consumers in Massachusetts should not have to worry whether their funds are safe when dealing with funeral homes on such sensitive matters."
In addition to the civil suit, Johnston is the target of a criminal probe by Bridgewater and state police, as well as the state Board of Registration in Embalming and Funeral Directing.
"We are investigating the matter and looking at criminal charges," said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz, who welcomed the attorney general's action.
"That's something we can't do &emdash; file a civil suit to get their money back," said Cruz.
Investigators said Johnston could face criminal fraud and larceny charges.
State law requires funeral directors who accept money for future funeral arrangements to place the funds in a trust or insurance policy and maintain appropriate records.
Last week, the state agency that oversees the funeral industry alerted Reilly's consumer protection office after Johnston repeatedly failed to produce such records, the attorney general said.
Reilly said Johnston had spent or otherwise used the funds rather than maintaining them in trust for the consumers.
One alleged victim is 84-year-old Bertha Seaver. She paid Johnston $4,600 in 1993 for her funeral, but earlier this month her son, Earl Haskell, asked Johnston to transfer the contract to another funeral home.
But the second funeral home backed out of a deal to receive several such contracts, including Seaver's, when Johnston failed to produce the proper paperwork, investigators said.
Last week, Haskell said, "They (investigators) told me there was no money."
Previously, several sources close to the investigation told The Enterprise Johnston was close to selling his funeral home along with the pre-need contracts, but the buyer backed out of the deal when Johnston could not produce proper records of the funds.
Johnston's funeral home at 76 South St. has been listed for sale in real estate ads as a two-family home with an asking price of $550,000.
A call to Johnston this morning was not returned.
In a message dated 8/24/02 12:06:31 AM, Loni in Texas writes:
This message is from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. American cattle producers are very passionate about this.
McDonald's claims that there is not enough beef in the USA to support their restaurants. Well, we know that is not so. Our opinion is they are looking to save money at our expense. The sad thing of it is that the people of the USA are the ones who made McDonald's successful in the first place, but we are not good enough to provide beef.
We personally are no longer eating at McDonald's, which I am sure does not make an impact, but if we pass this around maybe there will be an impact felt. Please pass it on Just to add a note, all Americans that sell cows at a livestock auction barn had to sign a paper stating that we do NOT EVER feed our cows any part of another cow. South Americans are not required to do this as of yet.
McDonald's has announced that they are going to start importing much of their beef from South America. The problem is that South Americans aren't under the same regulations as American beef producers, and the regulations they have are loosely controlled...
They can spray numerous pesticides on their pastures that have been banned here at home because of residues found in the beef. They can also use various hormones and growth regulators that we can't. The American public needs to be aware of this problem and that they may be putting themselves at risk from now on by eating at good old McDonald's.
American ranchers raise the highest quality beef in the world and this is what Americans deserve to eat. Not beef from countries where quality is loosely controlled. Therefore, I am proposing a boycott of McDonald's until they see the light.
I'm sorry but everything is not always about the bottom line, and when it comes to jeopardizing my family's health, that is where I draw theline.
In a message dated 8/22/02 8:39:26 PM, Sam in Pennsylvania writes:
LE LAVANDOU, France (Reuters) - The mayor of a French Mediterranean town,
faced with a cemetery "full to bursting," has banned local residents from
dying until he can find somewhere else to bury them.
Gil Bernardi, mayor of Le Lavandou on the coast 15 miles west of Saint
Tropez, introduced the ban after a court rejected his plans to build a
cemetery in a tranquil setting by the sea.
Bernardi said most locals had obeyed the edict so far, but he was
desperately trying to find a resting place for a homeless man who had
recently passed away in the town.
"Initially, the decree has been remarkably well followed," the mayor said.
Bernardi has appealed against the ruling preventing the seaside cemetery
being built, saying it would be the best final resting place for his townsfolk.
"What people want here, because it's a local tradition, is their own little
personal plot of land, their burial spot, not an impersonal pigeonhole," he
said.
In a message dated 8/22/02 2:22:11 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Attleboro firefighters battle a blaze at the crematorium building at North Purchase Cemetery Wednesday.
ATTLEBORO Massachusetts -- An overheated smokestack at a cemetery crematorium led to a chimney and roof fire Wednesday morning.
The blaze at the Woodlawn North Purchase Cemetery Crematorium stalled traffic at 825 North Main St. as vehicles had to be detoured.
Fire Department Deputy Chief George Bellavance said the metal smokestacks were too hot and caused a wood chimney and part of the roof to catch fire. Also damaged were wooden supports in the attic of the building.
He said the wood on the chimney was erected too close to the smokestacks inside it and the cause of the fire was believed to be accidental.
In a message dated 8/20/02 7:00:14 PM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
Now you can be brilliant and flawless forever.
But you have to be cremated first.
A company based in suburban Elk Grove Village has accepted its first deposit for manufactured diamonds made from carbon captured during the cremation process so that loved ones--family members or even pets--could be mounted into a ring, pendant or other jewelry.
A small number of U.S. funeral homes, including four in the Chicago area, have signed up to offer memorial diamonds produced by Life Gem. The cost will depend on the size of the gem, starting at $4,000 for a quarter-carat.
Already, a Joliet man who is seriously ill with emphysema says his family plans to place an order when the time comes. Jack French said he doesn't want to be Life Gem's first customer, but that he would like his remains fashioned into diamonds so that his wife and five children will have something far more intimate to pass down than his few personal possessions.
"This will be something that is beautiful, has value and comes right from me," he said.
Greg Herro, chief executive officer of the company, acknowledges that some people will consider Life Gems a "pretty wacky idea." But, he says, "that's exactly the way revolutionary innovation often happens." At the moment, Herro is the only full-time employee. Three partners work part-time with Herro and have other jobs.
The company uses a well-established manufacturing process, and Herro says his company hopes the increasing number of U.S. cremations will provide a growing market for the product. The Cremation Association of North America reports that about 26 percent of the 2.3 million U.S. residents who died last year were cremated, and predicts that the nation's cremation rate will jump to nearly 40 percent by 2010.
Herro said the company also wants to begin marketing its service in Japan, where the national cremation rate is more than 98 percent, and in veterinarians' offices across the U.S.
"People would wear a Life Gem to show off the love, light and energy that came from their animals too," he said.
When left to natural forces, the creation of the world's hardest substance can take millions of years. But since General Electric introduced diamond-making to the world in the 1950s, the manufacturing of the stones for industrial purposes--everything from coating drill bits to building better computer chips--has broadened to include synthetic diamonds for jewelry.
There's no reason why Life Gem's process shouldn't work, said Kenneth Poeppelmeier, a chemistry professor at Northwestern University.
"At first I thought, `This is odd, but it's a well-developed science,'" he said. "Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is an odd, well-developed science a lot of people would appreciate. I suspect many people in the lab will wish that they had thought of it first."
Life Gem's chief operating officer, Rusty VandenBiesen, said he came up with the idea three years ago after deciding that he didn't want his final resting place to be in a cemetery or in an urn left on a fireplace mantle.
VandenBiesen said he didn't know much about biochemistry or manufactured diamonds when he began his research. Given that the body is largely made up of carbon and that diamonds are made from carbon, VandenBiesen figured that if there were a way to retain the element from cremated remains, it should be possible to produce the stone.
Up to 50 stones
After three years of trial and error using the cremated remains of several animals and a cadaver, VandenBiesen said, a diamond-manufacturing laboratory outside of Munich, Germany, reported success in April. The lab, owned by an American company, said that one human body could yield up to 50 stones of varying sizes, VandenBiesen said.
The company's owner, a well-known executive in the diamond-manufacturing industry, confirmed that the German lab created diamonds for Life Gem from carbon extracted from animal and human bone. The executive spoke only on the condition of anonymity to protect the lab's location and work and "because we're not sure how we want to be affiliated with Life Gem just yet." The executive also said the lab would continue producing the stones while Life Gem plans to build its own diamond-making facility in the United States.
Doug Ahlgrim, director of Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Services' four locations in the Northwest suburbs, said he is training his staff to explain the new product to customers. Two funeral homes in New York and one in Wisconsin also have agreed to be vendors, Life Gem said.
"This is sorely needed for families who choose cremation," Ahlgrim said. "An urn is beautiful in its own right, but you certainly can't take it wherever you go."
Life Gem says the diamonds will take about eight weeks to produce. The company is selling blue diamonds and plans to offer other colors. A .25-carat gem is $4,000 (the company requires a minimum order of two stones), and a 1-carat gem is $22,000. Life Gem said it will make only as many stones as are ordered. The company applied for a U.S. patent on the process in March.
The notion of having a constant reminder of her husband that dangles from her neck comforts Jacki French of Joliet. She said she cringed when her husband, Jack, announced that he'd like his ashes scattered in the woods where he often played as a boy.
"I don't even know where those woods are, and that's not where I would go to remember him," she said. "And I don't do cemeteries real well. I only go because I feel like it's something I'm supposed to do."
The Frenches' son, Dave, said he found out about Life Gem from a colleague at work, where VandenBiesen also is employed.
The French family has deposited a small amount of money with Life Gem for the service.
Something to keep
One expert on death and dying said that survivors who scatter a loved one's ashes sometimes have more difficulty coping with death because they don't have personal mementos to cherish--a gravesite to visit or a vessel to hold onto.
"There is a strong human need to have something tangible because memories fade and float away," said Kyle Nash, a grief counselor for physicians at the University of Chicago.
Life Gem officials acknowledge they are bracing for skeptics. In response, they say they would allow customers to view any part of the diamond-making process. Life Gem also will provide a certificate from the European Gemological Laboratory in New York identifying the stone as a man-made diamond, said Herro, who sold his Rockford consulting firm in 2000 to work full-time on Life Gem.
For customers who want to make sure the rock they receive is indeed made from their loved one's carbon, the company is working with the lab in Germany to develop isotopes, or chemical markers, that can be attached to the collected carbon and identified in the finished product by an expert.
Collecting body's carbon
Life Gem officials say the process begins when technicians control oxygen levels during cremation to prevent carbon in the body from converting to carbon dioxide. The incineration is interrupted so the technician can collect the body's carbon in the form of a dark powder.
The powder then is sent to a Pennsylvania company where it is heated in a vacuum at extreme temperatures to produce graphite. Only about a thimbleful is needed to produce a stone, Herro said. The graphite is sent to the German lab and placed into autoclaves that simulate the intense pressure and temperature needed to create the stones.
Because so little material is needed to make a stone, a family still would receive an urn containing their loved one's ashes. Life Gem says it guarantees that diamonds can be made only when the company oversees the cremation process.
Parkview Cremations in Fond du Lac, Wis., has conducted test cremations for Life Gem and is the only crematorium in the United States certified by the company. Herro said he is working to find other crematoriums.
Nothing about the process appears to be in violation of state laws regulating Illinois' 66 registered crematoriums, said Kim Kuntzman, a spokeswoman for Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
"There's just nothing in existing regulations to prohibit this," she said. "Until now, why would there be?"
IN THIS EDITION:
INDUSTRY NEWS
FTC Invites the ICFA to Participate in Online Casket Sales Workshop
U.S. Dept. of Transportation Lists Theft Rate for Funeral Coach
ICFA NEWS
Fall Management Conference Combines Education and Recreation
Join the Music License Coalition for 2003!
August Product of the Month: 'Goodnight, Sweet Prince'
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
FTC INVITES ICFA TO PARTICIPATE IN ONLINE CASKET SALES WORKSHOP
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff have extended to the ICFA an invitation
to participate in a public workshop panel to discuss possible state law
restrictions and industry practices affecting the online selling of caskets
to consumers. As previously reported in the WIRELESS, the workshop will
convene at FTC headquarters in Washington, D.C., on October 8-10 to explore a
variety of businesses that may face anti-competitive restrictions in their
efforts to engage in retail sales over the Internet.
The ICFA has learned that other panelists will include a representative from
NFDA; an attorney from the Institute for Justice, an organization that has
challenged state laws restricting casket sales to only licensed funeral
directors; industry critic Lisa Carlson; and an independent casket retailer.
At this point, it is uncertain what steps the FTC will pursue as a result of
any evidence presented during the workshop. The FTC announcement, dated July
17, can be found at http://www.ftc.gov by clicking on the prompt for "News
Releases."
---------------------------------------------------
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LISTS THEFT RATE FOR FUNERAL COACH
The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has published its annual theft data report for motor vehicles.
The new report lists final data on thefts of 2000 model year cars that
occurred in calendar year 2000. The vehicle theft rate was no higher than the
previous year, an average of 2.89 thefts per thousand vehicles produced. Out
206 vehicle lines, 51 had a theft rate higher than 3.5 per thousand vehicles.
Ranked in descending order, the number one "most stolen" vehicle is the
Plymouth Breeze at 11 percent, or 173 vehicles out of 15,723 manufactured for
the 2000 model year. In fact, Chrysler-manufactured vehicles dominate the top
20 with 10 vehicles; Mitsubishi came in second with four vehicles out of the
first 20. Further down on the rankings at 171 is the Cadillac Funeral Coach,
with one theft out of 1,100 manufactured, or 0.9091 percent. Among the "least
stolen" vehicles with zero thefts for 2000 are the Fiat Ferrari models 360,
456, and 550, the Rolls Royce Bentley, the Toyota Lexus SC, and the
last-ranked model at 206, the Volkswagen Eurovan, with no thefts in 2000 out
of 2,791 manufactured for that year.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
FALL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE COMBINES EDUCATION AND RECREATION
The ICFA Fall Management Conference will offer three half-day educational
sessions on current executive management issues, as well as outstanding
recreational opportunities including the Fall Management Golf Tournament and
the ICFA Tennis Tournament.
To be held October 2-5 at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells,
California, the conference will offer sessions on changing consumer
preferences, cremation challenges and opportunities, financial and governance
matters, ways to capture greater preneed market share and more. Each
afternoon, attendees will have opportunities to enjoy the luxurious resort
and spa atmosphere of the Hyatt Grand Champions.
The ICFA Fall Management Golf Tournament will be held on the award-winning
Indian Wells East Course, a challenging venue for golfers of all skill levels.
The hotel reservation and early registration deadline for the conference is
August 29. For a complete program and registration form, visit
http://www.icfa.org/fall02.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
JOIN THE MUSIC LICENSE COALITION FOR 2003!
The Music License Coalition, an independent group of funeral directors from
throughout the United States who have joined together to purchase music
licensing at a group rate, plans to offer a one-year, $185 license in 2003.
Funeral homes that belong to the Coalition pay no dues and are not required
to hold membership in any other industry group.
The Coalition was formed in October 2001 and currently has more than 2,200
members. To obtain the $185 group rate, it must reach 5,000 funeral home
locations by November 15, 2002.
"We're well on our way toward that goal," said Music License Coalition
Administrator Joseph Budzinski. "Funeral directors are eager to join forces
to save money on this expense. By obtaining their license through the
Coalition, they can save hundreds of dollars off the single-location purchase
price, without paying any additional dues or fees. What's more, joining the
Coalition simplifies the process for them. Our members will be licensed by
BMI, ASCAP and SESAC, and they'll simply pay one $185 invoice."
Music licensing is legally required for all funeral homes, combination
operations and other industry businesses that host services where copyrighted
music is performed or played from recordings. Failure to obtain a license can
be costly: Small businesses have been fined up to $20,000 for a single
infraction.
For more information or to join the Coalition, visit
http://www.icfa.org/music/ or call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
AUGUST PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: 'GOODNIGHT, SWEET PRINCE'
For the month of August, the ICFA is offering "Goodnight, Sweet Prince: You
Can Give a Eulogy" at special volume prices. A growing number of families are
choosing to personalize funeral and memorial services through the eulogy.
"Goodnight, Sweet Prince: You Can Give a Eulogy" allows you to assist these
families with this often difficult task. The book is a 60-page workbook and
guide designed to help the bereaved collect and organize their thoughts in
tribute to the person who has passed away, put the ideas on paper and present
the eulogy at the service. Several sample eulogies are included.
"Goodnight, Sweet Prince" was created and written by an advertising executive
who, confronted with the task of writing a eulogy for his grandfather,
discovered there were no printed sources for help. It breaks down the eulogy
into 10 manageable steps, and its hands-on approach offers direction,
provides examples and instills confidence.
Regular price: $2 each; August price: 15 copies for $15; 25 copies for $20;
50 copies for $35! For additional information on this product discount, visit
http://www.icfa.org/august.htm or call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
AND MORE É
The ICFA Internet Expo at http://www.icfa.org/expo/index.html, is the largest
online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and
funeral home owners and operators will find more than 300 providers in over
100 product and service categories at the Expo. Exhibit space is provided as
a free, exclusive benefit to all ICFA supplier and professional members.
Check it out today!
The ICFA News Page at http://www.icfa.org/newspage.htm takes you to sources
throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most
comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available
anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to
national and world events. The News Page is the fourth most visited page on
the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why.
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 .
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 .
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 .
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
Federal Campaign Finance Reform Includes Funeral/Burial Expenses
U.S. Department of Labor Develops Ergonomics Guidelines
ICFA NEWS
Fall Management Conference Registration Deadline Extended to 9/6
September Preneed Product of the Month: Classic Sales Management Videos
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
FEDERAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM INCLUDES FUNERAL/BURIAL EXPENSES
The Federal Election Committee (FEC) has published a notice of proposed
rulemaking in order to implement the provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign
Reform Act of 2002 enacted earlier this year. The new law expands the scope
of fraudulent misrepresentations, requires disclaimers for certain types of
advertising and increases civil fines, among other things. The FEC is
soliciting public comments to its proposed rules through September 27.
One of the more controversial new provisions limits a candidate's use of
campaign funds to defray personal expenses. Under the proposed regulation,
certain types of expenses paid from a campaign fund would be considered "an
unlawful conversion of a contribution or donation to personal use." Ranked
second among items that are considered personal expenses and therefore an
impermissible expense if paid from campaign funds are "funeral, cremation or
burial expenses." The proposed rule does not elaborate on the items listed
among prohibited expenses, but part of the new law's legislative history
explains, "Contributions will be considered converted to personal use if they
are used for an expense that would exist irrespective of the campaign or
duties of an officeholder, including home mortgage or rent, clothing,
vacation expenses, tuition payments... and a variety of other items."
Information on the proposed rulemaking can be obtained at http://www.fec.gov.
---------------------------------------------------
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DEVELOPS ERGONOMICS GUIDELINES
As reported previously, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is in the process
of developing new guidelines to implement the Bush Administration's
Ergonomics worker safety programs. Initially, DOL is focusing on industries
and workplaces that are considered a high risk for employees in sustaining
musculoskeltal injuries such as back problems and carpel tunnel syndrome. On
August 30, DOL announced it was seeking public comments in the development of
industry-specific ergonomics guidelines and that nursing homes have been
selected as the first such industry.
The draft guidelines suggest the potential format that may eventually be used
when DOL addresses other industries including cemetery, funeral home and
crematory operations. The draft guidelines contain three main sections: 1)
management practices including ergonomics training and methods for evaluating
a work site program; 2) work site analysis that describes methods of
identifying and evaluating ergonomic stressors; and 3) control methods that
discuss 49 methods to control exposure to ergonomic stressors. More
information on the draft guidelines can be viewed at http://www.dol.gov.
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
FALL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 9/6
The deadline for the early registration discount and hotel reservations for
the ICFA Fall Management Conference, October 2-5 at the Hyatt Grand Champions
Resort in Indian Wells, California, has been extended to Friday, September 6.
Members who register on or before that date will pay $86 off the regular
registration price ($439 vs. $525). Hotel reservations made after September 6
cannot be guaranteed and will be taken on a space-available basis.
The conference offers three half-day educational sessions on current
executive management issues such as changing consumer preferences, cremation
challenges and opportunities, financial and governance matters, ways to
capture greater preneed market share and more. In addition, the Fall
Management Golf Tournament and the ICFA Tennis Tournament offer excellent
opportunities for recreation and networking.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.icfa.org/fall02.htm or
call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
SEPTEMBER PRENEED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: CLASSIC SALES MANAGEMENT VIDEOS
For the month of September, the ICFA is offering a significant discount on
its Sales Management videotapes when you buy a set of three. Recorded in the
1990s at the ICFA's Sales Management and Marketing Conferences, these tapes
offer timeless preneed sales advice and "how to" information from some of the
most notable speakers in the industry. Tapes include:
o Field Training
o Motivating the Trained Counselor
o Sales Meetings
o Defining Your Market and Projecting Sales
o Holding a Successful Sales Meeting
o Getting Counselors to Get Results
o Setting Up a Family Service Program
o Making Sales Meetings Exciting
o Commonly Asked Questions by Sales Managers
Tapes are regularly $50 each; September sale price: Any three for $60! For
additional information, visit http://www.icfa.org/september.htm or call the
ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
AND MORE É
The ICFA Internet Expo at http://www.icfa.org/expo/index.html, is the largest
online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and
funeral home owners and operators will find more than 300 providers in over
100 product and service categories at the Expo. Exhibit space is provided as
a free, exclusive benefit to all ICFA supplier and professional members.
Check it out today!
The Music License Coalition, an independent group of funeral directors from
throughout the United States who have joined together to purchase music
licensing at a group rate, plans to offer a one-year, $185 license in 2003.
Funeral homes that belong to the Coalition pay no dues and are not required
to hold membership in any other industry group. For more information or to
join the Coalition, visit http://www.icfa.org/music/ or call 1-800-645-7700.
The ICFA News Page at http://www.icfa.org/newspage.htm takes you to sources
throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most
comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available
anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to
national and world events. The News Page is the fourth most visited page on
the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why.
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 .
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 .
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 .
In a message dated 8/20/02 3:17:09 PM, Mass FDA writes:
Dear Mass Licensee:
Our website is under construction, but you can visit it today to download information about our exciting upcoming CEU Series -- CEU Fast Track. Earn from 2 to 8 CEU's in Holyoke, Worcester, Burlington and Randolph. Enjoy a fast paced seminar, meet with your colleagues for dinner and have an opportunity to qualify for some great door prizes donated by our supplier and member friends.
Already completed your CEU's? Plan to join with us anyway for an exciting session designed in a regional meeting format with an update on what's occurring within funeral service nationally and our region.
Visit us at www.MASSfda.org and click on NEWS AND EVENTS.
Hope to see you there!
Richard Dewhirst
President
Questions? Write us at info@massfda.org.
In a message dated 8/15/02 7:47:05 AM, Mike in Massachusetts writes:
PROVIDENCE, RI - The former director of a Woonsocket funeral home pleaded no contest yesterday to charges he bilked customers when his business went bust. Paul Menoche was sentenced in Providence Superior Court to four years in prison plus 11 years probation for embezzlement and violating funeral-home laws. He also must repay about $440,000 to 118 families who prepaid for funeral arrangements before the Menoche Funeral Home closed in June 2001. Menoche deposited money for prepaid funerals in his personal checking account, a prosecutor said.
In a message dated 8/13/02 9:07:17 PM, h_benjie@bellsouth.net writes:
I would like to introduce the FORTRESS Personal Mausoleums, the World's Best Built, Most Affordable and Most Profitable Personal Mausoleum made in the USA. Don and Faith Magallanes of Pascagoula, Mississippi founded the FORTRESS brand about 5 years ago and are now offering them to funeral homes, cemeteries and monument companies nationwide. See how you could profit by offering your client families the FORTRESS. See the whole line at
http://www.personalmausoleums.com
In a message dated 8/13/02 8:22:04 AM, Walter in Tennessee writes:
http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/08/12/uk.body/index.html
Corpse art brings body donor rush
LONDON, England --An exhibition of dissected human corpses which caused a
storm of protest has prompted a rush of "body donors" who want to be
preserved and put on display for future generations.
More than 20 people in Britain have agreed to donate their bodies to an
institute run by German professor Gunther von Hagens, whose chosen
preservation method is to skin the corpse, splay its insides and put it on
display to the public.
"The most certain thing about life is death," Juanita Carberry, 77, from
Kenya, told reporters at the exhibition on Monday. "And I believe in
recycling everything that is recyclable."
"My body is a shell I live in. When I die I will have finished with it. If I
can dispose of any part of my body for a useful purpose then that is great."
The Body Worlds exhibition, in London after having toured Japan, Germany,
Belgium and Austria, consists of around 30 corpses displayed on stands in
various poses its organisers say are designed to provoke, educate or shock.
The flagship piece is a horse and rider -- both skinned to display their
muscles, bones and innards -- and then "plastinated" like all their other
specimens to preserve them and fix them in a pose.
Von Hagens says he invented the "plastination" technique in 1977. The
process involves soaking the corpse in formaldehyde, freezing it, thawing it
and then dissecting it.
Fat and water are then removed and replaced with plastic, leaving them
perfectly preserved, odourless, and both rigid and flexible enough to be
free-standing.
When it first opened in London in March, the exhibition was slammed as a
"freak show" with no artistic or educational value by some of Europe's
leading art critics.
It has also been the scene of protests. During its opening week in London,
Martin Wyness, a Cumbria-based artist, threw a blanket over one of the
exhibits -- a seven-month pregnant woman with the foetus visible inside her.
Professor von Hagens said the only parts of the exhibition that had been
purchased were from historical anatomical specimens and no whole bodies had
been purchased.
He also said that bodies were only used without consent in countries where
the law allowed the use of corpses in this way when the person had died and
not been identified. This was not the case in the UK, he said.
Von Hagens said he was delighted his exhibition has persuaded more people to
donate their bodies in future -- currently a total of 5,000. He saw it as an
"appreciation " of his work, which he insists is about education not
sensationalism.
Raymond Edwards, 51, said his decision to donate his body was about being in
control.
"I want to take control of my death," he told Reuters. "And what better way
is there to die happily? -- knowing that your body is going to go on to
inform, educate and stimulate other people for years into the future."
Eulinda Clarke-Akalanne, from Somerset southwest England, told the Press
Association, her fear of being buried alive encouraged her to sign up for
the exhibition.
"I feel that by doing this I will be helping to advance medical research and
enlighten people about the human body."
End of article
Above Sent by:
Walter & Barbara Crox
Covenant Funeral Service
2114 Chapman Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 485-0911 * * (423) 485-0970 FAX
www.CovenantFuneral.com
"REVERENCE, DIGNITY, & REASONABLE PRICES"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 8/16/02 6:48:20 PM, Barbara in the United Kingdom writes:
After hearing several reports on our television news here in the UK about the gruesome finds at the crematorium in Walker County I was curious to know what the most recent happenings are. We have not heard any more through the media since the story first broke. Is it possible for you to email me with any further details. I believe Mr Ray Brent Marsh could only be charged with theft by deception, as there is not a law to cover the 'correct' treatment of corpses. Has or is such a law going to be considered in the future. Is he still (if there is such a thing in the USA) licensed to cremate bodies?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 9/1/02 5:24:51 PM, Dan in California writes:
John, I am interested in how the California FD Association influenced your decision not to post California Salary figures. That doesn't look so good. Although numbers can always be posted with a disclaimer or notice. I know it isn't easy to question one of the largest state associations, I assume you had good reason, but it is nice to be informed and they have a long road to haul as I see it. Dan
Hi Dan, California Funeral Directors Association Staff contacted me directly and told me the California Wage Report was for their members only (one of their members had gotten permission to send it to FSPA) and the permission was rescinded, I deleted the information immediately. I take my hat off to CFDA for at least compiling a wage report for it's members, most associations don't offer such a service to their members. FRANKLY: wages in this profession are a big secret, I'll tell you "Owners make at least TWICE what employees earn", OWNERS and MANAGERS are a strong majority of membership in almost all associations, my guess is, and it's only a guess. OWNERS and MANAGERS don't want salary facts published. I must also tell you we can all be proud that NFDA did publish FSPA salary report and I know NFDA is willing to publish quality material regarding compensation. If you want to review FSPA salary report click here
Thanks for the question Dan, I hope I answered it
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 8/31/02 6:38:18 PM, Jon in California writes:
Hi John,
Jon Snyder from California here. I have a new website and thought I would share it with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Take care,
Jon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got any Hot News for us. Issues that involve funeral service, in your community, it in, Everything you see here was send in by someone just like you. If there is a newspaper article in your area, send the link and we can all learn from it, even if it is your opinion we all learn from one another. Any HOT NEWS OR SCUTTLEBUTT WILL BE POSTED IN THE READER'S WRITE BACK SECTION.
Send your story or issue to FSPA just click here --->Lowellma@aol.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 8/25/02 12:56:34 PM, Funeral Professional in Florida writes: POSITION WANTED: Licensed Florida Funeral Director, Embalmer, Cremationist desires full time position with management possibilities for SW Florida Funeral Home Pt. Charlotte to Naples. Other areas also considered. Resume upon request. Please email Vanillabean44@aol.com. Thank you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are welcome, to write us with your comments, suggestions, complaints and especially stories about funeral service. Please remember only FSPA members will have information posted in the weekly update, it's easy click here ---> Mailto:Lowellma@aol.com Your participation is appreciated and essential.
You are welcome, to post your professional article here, you need to author your article and agree it will be posted with your full name. Please remember only FSPA members will have information posted in the weekly update, it's easy click here ---> Mailto:Lowellma@aol.com Your participation is appreciated and essential.
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.
To Join the Funeral Service Professional Association you must derive some of your income from the funeral industry, students and retirees from the funeral profession are welcome as well, please e-mail the following information.
If you skip answering one of the seven questions, you are wasting your time, the standards are the same for everyone, FSPA is open to everyone in funeral service, we are all equals here no exceptions, FSPA will not tell anyone who you are unless you request your identity be disclosed, FSPA is only open to any type of Funeral Service Professional, or Funeral Service Affiliate such as: Funeral Association employees, Mortuary School Students, Funeral Service product providers and Funeral Service Media.
Accountants will tell you FSPA is a write off ! Please check with your accountant. If s/he approves Go get yourself a nice laptop and possibly write off your hardware as well as AOL or other Internet service charge as an expense, the more your participate in FSPA the more proof you have.
If you have a suggested question this please just send it along, none of FSPA 's mail will be possible with out your sending information into us,
To make life easier on me
First and foremost, Send your info or story in to FSPA.
2nd Please put on the top line your name and location, like "John from Massachusetts writes :"
3rd please address the subject line put:
This is just a hobby, if you send and don't address the subject line with FSPA, it usually delete it because it looks like junk mail, FSPA get over 50 pieces of mail a day, most gets deleted, THE SUBJECT LINE is the key so please, use the subject line properly. Put FSPA in the Subject line along with the flavor of your message.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE the posting(s) you send are some times resent to others be careful, if you are proud of what you said and want the world to know how you feel Put your name, location and e-mail address at the end.
However If you don't want the world to know your ide