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In a message dated 10/23/02 2:46:35 PM, David in Arizona writes:
Click here: Welcome to Corporate Funeral Providers
David Brownworth
Regional Manager
Corporate Funeral Providers
(480) 215-1121 Scottsdale, AZ
(800) 504-3463 Toll Free: Scottsdale,AZ
(800) 276-7069 Toll Free: Jackson, TN.
Enclosed in this email is the Aurora "Funeral Homes Honored for e-Business Vision" Press Release dated October 21, 2002:
PRESS RELEASE
For more information, call
Dave Lane (513) 979-5263
dlane@auroracasket.com
October 21, 2002
Recognizing Technology Leaders
Funeral Homes Honored for e-Business Vision
San Antonio, Texas - The value of technology has been proven extensively in the funeral service industry, where firms are rapidly embracing e-business innovations to improve operations and service. To honor those who are leading this transformation, the e-business professionals at Aurora Casket Company have published a list of the most innovative and forward-thinking members of the funeral service industry: the Funeral Service e-Business 200.
"More and more people are embracing the concept of online business transactions&emdash;including funeral planning," says Chris Barrott, Vice President of Operations at Aurora Casket Company. "Our goal is to acknowledge the innovation and successes of funeral service firms that have taken a leadership role in implementing technology in our industry."
Making the list
The Funeral Service e-Business 200 (see attached) recognizes funeral homes that use technology to enhance their operations and results. Hundreds of firms were nominated for inclusion in the list. "We were amazed at the response we received when nominations opened in June 2002," says Mr. Barrott. "We knew e-business was growing rapidly in this industry, but we didn't anticipate the number of firms that were so involved in so many aspects of business technology. Determining which funeral homes had earned a place on the list was very difficult."
The top 200 funeral service e-business firms were selected based on:
- Percentage of overall business conducted online.
- Quality of online presence.
- Use of e-business technology in day-to-day operations.
- Approach to and vision for e-business.
- Use of e-business technologies to extend market reach and improve service for families.
Technology leadership
"We reviewed many innovative and outstanding websites, witnessed the impressive financial results driven by e-business and discovered that funeral directors are very committed to using technology to improve their operations and to better serve families," says Mr. Barrott.
Technology is being used in the funeral service industry in many ways. Firms are reaching out to families through websites, ordering products (and checking inventory/availability) online, helping families plan or pre-plan arrangements electronically, enabling families across the country or around the world to come together online to plan a funeral or memorial, offering funeral planning information and resources, requesting death certificates and processing other required forms, and posting online obituaries and memorials.
The funeral planning process has changed dramatically as families select&emdash;and customize&emdash;caskets, urns and keepsakes online. "Families are becoming more and more comfortable using technology for important purchases and decisions," says Mr. Barrott. "They appreciate the ability to see casket and urn detail up close, to customize selected items and to track costs as each decision is made. And most families appreciate not having to enter a room full of caskets to plan a funeral or memorial. Technology has made the funeral planning process much more comfortable and less stressful for many, many families."
The top 200
Nominees for the Funeral Service e-Business 200 came from a variety of sources including a nomination form on the Auroracasket.com website, industry websites and referrals, Internet search engine results, interviews with funeral directors and reviews of funeral home websites. "Firms on the Funeral Service e-Business 200 represent funeral homes of all sizes and locations," says Mr. Barrott. "E-business is not restricted to firms in large, urban settings. Many small, rural funeral homes have also discovered the benefits of e-business for themselves and for the families they serve."
The Funeral Service e-Business 200 is organized alphabetically and does not attempt to rank qualified businesses by any other criteria.
About Aurora Casket Company
Aurora Casket Company launched its own technology initiative in 1998. The 110-year-old company has enjoyed solid growth since establishing itself as the industry leader in technology driven e-business enterprise.
Beyond its own website (www.auroracasket.com), the company has developed:
е Family Advisor: A state-of-the-art funeral arrangement system used by funeral directors to help families plan a funeral or memorial service. Family Advisor includes virtual selection rooms for caskets and other personalized memorial products.
е Funeralplan.com: The most comprehensive funeral planning website available, providing more than 350 pages of information for consumers.
е Web Templates: User-friendly tools funeral homes can use to set up and configure websites on their own in a matter of hours.
е Family Connections: An extranet for funeral homes that provides online ordering as well as e-business consultation.
е Plaques.net: A website where consumers can design and order memorial markers and architectural bronze plaques.
Due in part to its high-tech vision, Aurora is the fastest-growing manufacturer serving family-owned funeral homes. Headquartered in Aurora, Indiana, Aurora Casket Company is the nation's largest privately owned manufacturer and distributor of caskets and cremation and memorial products.
_____________________________________________________________
The following is text from the e-Business 200 flyer:
FUNERAL SERVICE e-BUSINESS 200
Industry Recognizes Technology Leaders &endash; Funeral Service Firms Honored for e-Business Vision
The value of e-business is well documented and widely praised; even so, innovators in the funeral service industry who have broadly embraced e-business to improve operations and service to families have largely gone unacknowledged. To recognize these industry leaders, the e-business experts at Aurora Casket Company are pleased to introduce the Funeral Service e-Business 200.
Carefully culled from more than 1,000 nominated firms, the Funeral Service e-Business 200 is organized alphabetically and does not attempt to rank the qualifying firms by any other criteria.
Listing is alphabetical, not by rank.
Abell Funeral Home Abernathy, TX
Allen Brothers Mortuary Vista, CA
Anderson Funeral Home Alexandria, MN
Baca's Funeral Chapels Deming, NM
Baker-Hazel Funeral Home, Inc. Dayton, OH
Barnett-Strother Funeral Home, Inc. Madisonville, KY
Beecher and Bennett Funeral Home Hamden, CT
Behrens Mortuary Rapid City, SD
Berg Mortuary Company, Inc. Provo, UT
Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Service, Inc. Saugus, MA
Boldt Funeral Home Faribault, MN
Bolingbrook-McCauley Funeral Bolingbrook, IL
Bopp Chapel Kirkwood, MO
Brady-Gill Funeral Home Evergreen Park, IL
Breit and Hawkins Funeral Home Savannah, MO
Brooks Funeral Home Connellsville, PA
Brown Forward Shaker Heights, OH
Browning Funeral Home Evansville, IN
Bullis Mortuary Hardin, MT
Butherus-Maser and Love Mortuary Lincoln, NE
C. Frederick Bowser Funeral Home Homer City, PA
Carson and Son Maquoketa, IA
Cassaday-Turkle and Christian, Inc. Alliance, OH
Cedar Memorial Funeral Home Cedar Rapids, IA
Chamberlain Funeral Home Oregon, MO
Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Creston, IA
Countryside Funeral Home Bartlett, IL
Cox and Son Funeral Home Jellico, TN
Crawshaw Funeral Home Murphysboro, IL
Daehler Mortuary Company Portsmouth, OH
Daleiden Mortuary Aurora, IL
David R. Jasin Funeral Home Toledo, OH
Davis Funeral Chapel Davis, CA
Day Funeral Home Wellington, KS
Deiters Funeral Home Washington, IL
Dinkel-Juengel Funeral Home Sebewaing, MI
Dowling Funeral Home Hamilton, MT
Drum Funeral Home Conover, NC
EF Boyd and Son Funeral Home Cleveland, OH
E. Harper and Son Funeral Home New Haven, IN
Eaton-Anderson-Unglesby Franklin, OH
Eddy Funeral Home Jamestown, ND
Edmonds and Evans Chesterton, IN
Eickemeyer Funeral Chapel Clarinda, IA
Ellis D. Jones and Sons, Inc. Durham, NC
Eubank Funeral Home Canton, TX
Evans Funeral Chapel Baltimore, MD
Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home Lemmon, SD
Fagen-Miller Funeral Gardens, Inc. Highland, IN
Feigum Funeral Home Pierre, SD
Fenner Funeral Home Herkimer, NY
Ferguson Funeral Home, Inc. Belle Vernon, PA
Flanner and Buchanan Indianapolis, IN
Forest Lawn Mortuary Glendale, CA
Francis J. Collins Funeral Home Silver Spring, MD
French Mortuary, Inc. Albuquerque, NM
Fuller Funeral Home Naples, FL
Gee and Sorensen Funeral Home St. Petersburg, FL
Gilbertson Funeral Home Devils Lake, ND
Glenn Funeral Home Owensboro, KY
Gonzales Funeral Home Las Vegas, NM
Greer-Wilson Phoenix, AZ
Grimes Funeral Chapel Kerrville, TX
Groce Funeral Home, Inc. Asheville, NC
Guerra-Gutierrez Mortuary Los Angeles, CA
H. Merritt Hughes Funeral Home Wilkes-Barre, PA
Hadley Funeral Home (Reno Branch) Marietta, OH
Hafemeister Funeral Home Watertown, WI
Hagy and Fawbush Funeral Home, Inc. Norton, VA
Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Inc. Kingsport, TN
Hamp Funeral Home, Inc. Tonawanda, NY
Hand Funeral Home Tama, IA
Hann Funeral Home Bridgeview, IL
Hannay-Traunero Funeral Home Tiffin, OH
Harshbarger Funeral Home McVeytown, PA
Healey Mortuary Salinas, CA
Henderson-Cornelison Funeral Home Pocatello, ID
Henderson-Van Atta and Johnston Newark, OH
Higby-McQuiston Mortuary, Inc. Aurora, NE
Hilgenfeld Mortuary Anaheim, CA
Hippensteel Funeral Home Lafayette, IN
Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home Burnsville, NC
Holder's Funeral Home Owensville, IN
Huber Funeral Home Cannelton, IN
Hutchens Mortuary Florissant, MO
Isburg-Hofmeister Funeral Home Pierre, SD
J. Seaton McGrath Richfield Springs, NY
JW McCall Funeral Home Pikeville, KY
Jens-Reinbold-Pfeffer Manitowoc, WI
Johnson-Green Funeral Home Thief River Falls, MN
Jones Funeral Home Jacksonville, NC
Kidwell-Garber Funeral Home Versailles, MO
Krueger Funeral Home, Ltd. Blue Island, IL
Kuhn Funeral Home Dexter, IA
Kutis Funeral Home (Affton Chapel) St. Louis, MO
L. Harold Poole Funeral Service Knightdale, NC
Lanham-Miller Funeral Home Sparta, WI
Larkin Mortuary Company Salt Lake City, UT
Leavitt's Mortuary Ogden, UT
Madasz Funeral Home Brookfield, OH
Mahn Funeral Home Red Wing, MN
Major Erickson Funeral Home Mason City, IA
Manchester Funeral Home Manchester, TN
Mansfield-Hertz Funeral Home Malvern, IA
Martin-Page Funeral Home Platteville, WI
Matz Funeral Home Chicago, IL
McDonald Funeral Home Centerville, TN
McLean and Son Funeral Home Gastonia, NC
Meierhoffer Family Funeral Service St. Joseph, MO
Michael W. Pawlak Funeral Home Temperance, MI
Midlothian Funeral Home Midlothian, TX
Money and King Funeral Home Vienna, VA
Morton's Mortuary, Inc. Bridgeport, CT
Munden Funeral Home Morehead City, NC
Mynatt Funeral Home Knoxville, TN
New Hope Funeral Home New Hope, AL
Newkirk Funeral Service Dugger, IN
Noel-Henderson Funeral Home Pekin, IL
Oakes and Nichols Funeral Directors Columbia, TN
O'Connell Funeral Home Buffalo, NY
Olpin Mortuary Fillmore, UT
Olson Funeral Home Fergus Falls, MN
Parkside Chapel Chicago, IL
Parkway Funeral Service Bismarck, ND
Parson Mortuary Muncie, IN
Patton-Schad Funeral Service Sauk Centre, MN
Peinert Funeral Home Whitehouse, OH
Peninsula Funeral Home Newport News, VA
Peterson Brothers Funeral Home Wilmar, MN
Pfaff-Garner Funeral Home Chicago, IL
Phalen Funeral Home Torrington, CT
Pitcher-Hackney Funeral Home Carnegie, OK
Platt's Funeral Home Augusta, GA
Pomierski Funeral Home Chicago, IL
Powers-Present and Sixbey Jamestown, NY
Pugh Funeral Home Asheboro, NC
Purath-Strand Funeral Home Racine, WI
Quernheim Funeral Home Waterloo, IL
RS Jones Funeral Home Phelps, KY
Rabenhorst Funeral Home Baton Rouge, LA
Rader Funeral Home Longview, TX
Ralph Hull Funeral Home Seymour, CT
Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Muscatine, IA
Ramsey Funeral Home, Inc. Harbor Beach, MI
Reinke Funeral Home Flora, IN
Richards, Raff and Dunbar Springfield, OH
Riffe's Funeral Service, Inc. Narrows, VA
Roeder Mortuary, Inc. Omaha, NE
Rose Mortuary Broadway Chapel Knoxville, TN
Rutherford Funeral Home, Inc. Columbus, OH
Sax-Tiedemann Company Franklin Park, IL
Schoedinger Midtown Chapel Columbus, OH
Schrader Funeral Home Ballwin, MO
Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home La Crosse, WI
Shackelford Funeral Directors Selmer, TN
Shields Funeral Home Forest, OH
Shirley Brothers Company, Inc. Indianapolis, IN
Simes Funeral Home Casa Grande, AZ
Smith Funeral Home Exeter, CA
Sparks Funeral Home Grayson, KY
Spitzer-Osthus Funeral Home Aberdeen, SD
Stith Funeral Home Florence, KY
Stockham Family Funeral Home McPherson, KS
Sturtevant Funeral Home Portsmouth, VA
The Billow Company Akron, OH
The JF Floyd Mortuary Spartanburg, SC
The McDougald Funeral Home Anderson, SC
The Wilton Mortuary Peoria, IL
Thomas Family Funeral Home Minot, ND
Thomas Funeral Home Cambridge, MD
Thornridge Funeral Home Orland Park, IL
Todd Memorial Chapel Pomona, CA
Triska Funeral Home El Campo, TX
Twiford's Funeral Home Elizabeth City, NC
Uecker Witt Funeral Home Fond Du Lac, WI
Usrey Brown-Service Funeral Home Talladega, AL
Vaala Funeral Home Appleton, MN
Wade Funeral Home Haubstadt, IN
Washburn-Dorsey Funeral Home Bostic, NC
Wayne Boze Funeral Home Waxahachie, TX
Weaver Funeral Home Bristol, TN
Weed-Corly-Fish Funeral Home Austin, TX
West Virginia Funeral Group, Inc. Parkersburg, WV
Whitehall Funeral Chapel, Inc. Lexington, KY
Whitsell Funeral Home, Inc. Morganfield, KY
Wichmann Funeral Home Appleton, WI
Wiefels and Son/Banning Branch Banning, CA
Wieting Funeral Home Chilton, WI
Wilbert Funeral Home Plaquemine, LA
Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis, OH
Winscott Road Funeral Home Benbrook, TX
Wiscombe Funeral Home Caliente, NV
Wm. J. Lyons Jr. Funeral Home Rensselaer, NY
Wm. T. Kilcline Funeral Home Woonsocket, RI
Wood Funeral Home Deport, TX
Wozney Funeral Home Arcadia, WI
Wright's Funeral Home Quitman, MS
Ziegenhein and Sons Funeral Home St. Louis, MO
e-Business 200 Methodology
The e-Business 200 was created to recognize funeral homes who are using e-business technologies to enhance their business operations and results. Nominees came from a variety of sources: an online nomination form on the auroracasket.com website, industry sites and referrals, searches on major Internet search engines, interviews with funeral homes, reviews of funeral home websites, and from Aurora's e-business customer lists.
Criteria for selection were:
- Firm's approach to and vision for e-business
- Use of e-business technologies to extend market reach and improve service for families
- Use of e-business technologies in day-to-day operations
- Percentage of overall business conducted online
- Existence of and quality of online presence
The editors reviewed more than 1,000 candidate firms to find those serving as the bellwether for e-business in the funeral service industry. The competition was tough, and many excellent firms did not make the final list.
About Aurora Casket Company
Aurora Casket Company launched its technology initiative in 1998. The 110-year-old company has enjoyed solid growth since establishing itself as the industry leader in technology-driven e-business enterprise.
Due in part to its high-tech vision, Aurora is the fastest-growing manufacturer serving family-owned funeral homes. Headquartered in Aurora, Indiana, Aurora Casket Company is the nation's largest privately-owned manufacturer and distributor of caskets as well as cremation and memorial products.
In a message dated 10/25/02 2:57:38 AM, Chris in Germany writes:
Hy John,
greetings from a "hard working" FD in Germany! :-)
Chris
10 commandments for 'working hard':
1. Never walk without a document in your hands
People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for
important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're heading
for the cafeteria. People with a newspaper in their hand look like they're
heading for the toilet. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with
you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours
than you do.
2. Use computers to look busy
Any time you use a computer, it looks like "work" to the casual observer. You
can send and receive personal e-mail, chat and generally have a blast without
doing anything remotely related to work. These aren't exactly the societal
benefits that the proponents of the computer revolution would like to talk about
but they're not bad either. When you get caught by your boss - and you *will*
get caught - your best defense is to claim you're teaching yourself to use new
software, thus saving valuable training dollars.
3. Messy desk
Top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like
we're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your
workspace. To the observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work;
it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If you know somebody is coming
to your cubicle, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack
and rummage for it when he/she arrives.
4. Voice Mail
Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don't call you just
because they want to give you something for nothing - they call because they
want YOU to do work for THEM. That's no way to live. Screen all your calls
through voice mail. If somebody leaves a voice mail message for you and it
sounds like impending work, respond during lunch hour when you know they're not
there - it looks like you're hardworking and conscientious even though you're
being a devious weasel.
5. Looking Impatient and Annoyed
According to George Costanza, one should also always try to look impatient and
annoyed to give your bosses the impression that you are always busy.
6. Leave the office late
Always leave the office late, especially when the boss is still around. You
could read magazines and storybooks that you always wanted to read but have no
time until late before leaving. Make sure you walk past the boss' room on your
way out. Send important emails at unearthly hours (e.g. 9:35pm, 7:05am, etc.)
and during public holidays.
7. Creative Sighing for Effect
Sigh loudly when there are many people around, giving the impression that you
are under extreme pressure.
8. Stacking Strategy
It is not enough to pile lots of documents on the table. Put lots of books on
the floor etc. (thick computer manuals are the best).
9. Build Vocabulary
Read up on some computer magazines and pick out all the jargon and new products.
Use the phrases freely when in conversation with bosses. Remember: They don't
have to understand what you say, but you sure sound impressive.
10. Have 2 Jackets
If you work in a big open plan office, always leave a spare jacket draped over
the back of your seat. This gives the impression that you are still on the
premises. The second jacket should be worn while swanning around elsewhere!
11. MOST IMPORTANT:
DON'T forward this to your boss by mistake!!!
Words to live by!
*************************************************************************
ICFA WIRELESS - November 12, 2002 Edition Vol. 3 No. 26
*************************************************************************
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:
SPECIAL NOTICE TO ICFA MEMBERS
ICFA Responds to Misleading AARP Bulletin
INDUSTRY NEWS
Anticipated Dodd Bill in Republican-Controlled Senate
ICFA Submits Additional Comments to FTC Regarding Online Casket Sales
ABC News Interviews ICFA on Preneed Sales; Asks for 'Re-takes'
ICFA NEWS
2003 Convention: Register Now to Save $65
ICFA Releases Consumer Education Article, Radio Announcement
November Product of the Month: Buyer's Guide & Membership Directory Just $15!
------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL NOTICE TO ICFA MEMBERS
------------------------------------------------------
ICFA RESPONDS TO MISLEADING AARP BULLETIN
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has published in its
November 2002 Bulletin an article titled "Scam Alert: Avoid Fraud in
Pay-in-Advance Funerals."
It can be found online at
http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/departments/2002/consumer/1105_consumer_1.html
The article relates the story of a California woman who purchased preneed
funeral arrangements in 1989 and who died in 2000. Her family has filed suit
against the funeral home alleging the products and services delivered were
not those purchased by the deceased.
The article goes on to state that even though more and more Americans are
entering into prefunded funeral agreements, "AARP advises consumers to
preplan but not to prepay, largely because preneed contracts can leave so
many important questions unanswered."
Industry critics Rev. Henry Wasielewski and Lisa Carlson are quoted in the
article. The Rev. Wasielewski, identified as "an expert on the industry,"
advises against prepaid funeral plans because "you're going to get tricked
and cheated." Carlson warns that the preneed industry is rife with deceptive
sales practices and outright fraud, and that many families find it difficult
to ensure that the goods and services a loved one paid for were in fact
supplied.
ICFA RESPONDS that this AARP Bulletin is providing misleading and opinionated
advice from two notoriously biased industry critics -- advice which could
cause a great deal of financial and emotional harm to consumers wishing to
preplan their final arrangements.
* The case identified in the Bulletin is anecdotal and clearly not
representative of the experiences of the vast majority of consumers who have
purchased prepaid funeral and burial arrangements. For example, the September
1999 United States General Accounting Office (GAO) report on Funeral-Related
Industries found a low number of total complaints about death care goods and
services. Of the 2 million or more funeral and burial services conducted in
the United States annually, the GAO report quoted a Better Business Bureau
survey that found only 453 funeral-related complaints. These covered the full
range of issues related to cemeteries and funeral homes and only a portion
were related to preneed purchases. By comparison, funeral-related complaints
were one-third fewer than complaints against barber and beauty shops (654)
and significantly fewer than complaints against automotive repairs (15,551).
* The article provides no advice on how consumers should pay for a funeral if
their savings are depleted after a long illness. Prepaid funeral and burial
arrangements have helped millions of Americans ensure that their final wishes
will be carried out and paid for at the time of need.
* The Rev. Wasielewski is a questionable source of information concerning the
industry. At the April 2000 hearings on Funeral and Burial Practices before
the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Rev. Wasielewski claimed that
"100% of mortuaries" are "ripping off the public" and that "cardinals and
bishops are receiving pay-offs" from funeral homes. His testimony was more
hysterical than enlightening.
* The "do not prepay" position expressed in the article is apparently the
personal opinion of one or more AARP employees and to our knowledge has not
been reviewed, studied or endorsed by the AARP Board of Directors.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------
INDUSTRY NEWS
---------------------------
ANTICIPATED DODD BILL IN REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED SENATE
As a result of the November 5 elections, control of the U.S. Senate has
returned to the Republican Party. This means, among other things, that the
Democratic party leaders will lose their chairmanships of Senate committees
when the 108th Congress convenes in January. It also means that Republicans
will determine the Senate's legislative agenda.
While the impact of these changes on Sen. Christopher Dodd's (D-CT) proposed
bill to regulate the death care industry is unclear (see the October 29
edition of WIRELESS for details on the proposed bill), Dodd will no longer
chair one of the subcommittees that would hold hearings on the bill. However,
the ICFA intends to continue its working relationship with the senator's
staff since Dodd can be expected to promote his bill, whenever it is
introduced, as bipartisan legislation. ICFA members will be alerted to
significant developments.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFA SUBMITS ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO FTC REGARDING ONLINE CASKET SALES
Following up from the October 9 Federal Trade Commission public workshop
panel on Internet casket retailing (see previous WIRELESS), the ICFA has
filed additional post-hearing comments. At the workshop, the ICFA was
represented by Mark Krause, an ICFA board member and funeral director who
also operates a casket store. In response to allegations by third-party
casket retailers claiming unfair trade practices by funeral homes and casket
manufacturers, Krause pointed out that his own casket store would not be
profitable if not supplemented by the services provided through his funeral
home.
Subsequent to the FTC public workshop, Krause contacted funeral directors who
operate casket stores in two other geographic regions. Their experiences were
similar in that their casket stores would be unprofitable if not supplemented
by the sale of funeral services. The ICFA submitted this information to the
FTC, urging the Commission to study the economic model upon which casket
stores operate in order to determine whether the range of products they offer
for sale is too narrow to make the businesses economically viable. The ICFA
comments to the FTC can be viewed at http://www.icfa.org/pdf/ftc_compete.pdf .
---------------------------------------------------
ABC NEWS INTERVIEWS ICFA ON PRENEED SALES; ASKS FOR 'RE-TAKES'
On November 1, the "ABC News" Washington, D.C., studios taped an interview
concerning the preneed sale of cemetery property with Bob Fells, ICFA
external chief operating officer and general counsel. The interview was
prompted by an incident in the San Francisco area involving a nonprofit
cemetery which allegedly refused to honor a burial right that was purchased
but not used some 30 years earlier. The story prompted "ABC News" to ask a
number of questions concerning the value of prearrangement.
Following the taping, "ABC News" contacted the ICFA asking if the interview
could be re-taped in its entirety. The "re-takes" were necessary, according
to ABC, because of technical problems that rendered the November 1 footage
unuseable. As a result, the network is sending a camera crew to ICFA
headquarters to refilm the interview. An airdate has not been determined.
-------------------
ICFA NEWS
-------------------
ANNUAL CONVENTION: REGISTER NOW TO SAVE $65
The ICFA 2003 Convention & Exposition, March 10-13 at the Las Vegas Hilton in
Las Vegas, Nevada, will offer more than a dozen educational sessions on
industry best practices and trends, combined with an Exposition of thousands
of today's products and services.
What's more, cemetery, funeral home and allied members who register before
December 2 can save an additional $65 off the already low early registration
fee of $375! Spouses and guests can register for $65 off the early
registration fee of $240!
Preliminary program information and reduced-rate registration forms are being
mailed to all members. They also can be accessed at
http://www.icfa.org/annual03_preview.htm or by calling the ICFA at
1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
ICFA RELEASES CONSUMER EDUCATION ARTICLE, RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT
The ICFA has released a newspaper article and radio announcement offering
advice on handling grief during the holidays as part of its ongoing consumer
education efforts.
One suggestion offered is, "Consider adding new traditions that commemorate
your loved one. For example, visit the gravesite, or light a candle and ask
family members to share stories or a moment of silence in his or her memory."
The article also advises, "Seek help. Rely on family and friends for support.
Many cemeteries and funeral homes offer bereavement resources and can refer
you to support groups."
The ICFA uses a national media placement agency to distribute its consumer
education series, which reinforces positive preneed and memorialization
messages to the public. Placements to date have reached hundreds of markets
throughout the country. For more information and to view copies of the actual
releases, visit http://www.icfa.org/media.htm .
---------------------------------------------------
NOVEMBER PRODUCT OF THE MONTH:
BUYER'S GUIDE & MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY JUST $15!
For the month of November, the ICFA is offering its newly published Buyer's
Guide & Membership Directory for the low price of just $15 for members! This
264-page directory of cemeteries, funeral homes, suppliers and related
businesses and organizations offers the most comprehensive index of
individuals working in the industry. It includes contact information for:
o 5,500+ ICFA-member cemeteries, funeral homes and allied businesses;
o 300+ industry suppliers;
o 151 international, national, regional and state industry associations;
o 100 U.S. and Canadian state/provincial cemetery regulators and funeral
service boards;
o 51 mortuary science schools; and
o all ICFA officers, board members and committee chairs.
Additional highlights include a set of industry guidelines for cremation;
recommended monument installation guidelines; and information on ICFA's
governance, membership benefits and educational programs
ICFA members receive a free copy as part of their membership benefits and can
purchase additional copies at a discount. Regular member price: $25. NOVEMBER
MEMBER PRICE: $15. Regular non-member price: $45. NOVEMBER NON-MEMBER PRICE:
$30. (Shipping and handling fees will be additional.) For more information or
to order, call 1-800-645-7700.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
AND MORE . . .
The ICFA Sales and Marketing Committee will present Naked Sales V: The Five
Commandments of Sales, January 16-17 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New
Orleans, Louisiana. Aimed toward sales managers and top counselors, the
two-day conference will provide dozens of innovative ideas for maximizing
each step of the sales process. For program and registration information,
visit http://www.icfa.org/naked_sales_03.htm or call 1-800-645-7700.
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.
The ICFA Personalization Committee is accepting entries for the 2002 KIP
(Keeping It Personal) Awards, recognizing personalization of products and
services within the industry. Award recipients will be recognized as part of
a seminar on personalization at the ICFA Annual Convention in Las Vegas,
Nevada, March 10-13, 2003, and in International Cemetery & Funeral Management
magazine. The deadline for entries is December 6. Rules and entry information
can be found at www.icfa.org/kip.htm or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
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!
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 .
In a message dated 11/12/02 2:49:58 PM, Katherine Ramsland writes: Check out Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/12/2002
Be a stud after death: Creative use of remains
By Katherine Ramsland
In Mexican tradition, people die three times: when they lose vital functions, when they're buried and when their name is uttered for the last time. Thus, their relatives develop commemorative rituals to prevent them from suffering this final fate. Even in our country, attention to death memorials has boomed in recent years, and people unhappy with traditional choices have devised new ones.
We may soon find ourselves asking: Can we go too far? Is there a point at which memorials can actually diminish respect for the dead?
I'd say yes: When we forget the wishes of the dead. When the whole thing becomes more about us than about those we wish to remember.
It's human nature to preserve the memory of the dearly departed, so we typically use solid reminders, such as monuments on graves or urns for cremated remains ("cremains"). Some people even request that their ashes be dispersed in a place that's meaningful to them.
"In years gone by," says John McDonough, a fifth-generation funeral director and founder of the Funeral Service Professional Association, "we've seen interest in scattering cremated remains into outer space and onto the moon." They also are strewn at sea. "We have pre-planned a German-born woman who wants this done, so that, to quote her, 'I can swim back to Germany.' "
Lately, people are getting even more creative, and the death management industry is rushing to respond. It's obvious from displays I've seen at funeral trade shows that baby-boomers seek something more vibrant and personal than past traditions allow. Here's a sampling of what some end-of-life entrepreneurs offer:
Cremains inside works of art, such as those by Jane'Us Inc. Bettye Wilson-Brokl, founder of Jane'Us, came up with the idea after her mother died. She wanted to keep her mother close, so she mixed her cremated ashes into paint and created a picture. Other relatives wanted one, too, and a business was born. One customer, a musician, asked to be painted after death as the musical notes from his first composition against a background of sheet music.
A sportsman asked that his ashes be stuffed into hollowed bullets and shot at wild game.
Eternal Reefs mixes cremains into concrete to cast them in the form of a coral reef. Cured for a month, this reef module is then used as a marine habitat in the ocean, replacing those that have been destroyed.
LifeGem, a Chicago-based company, extracts carbon from half-cremated cadavers - a process that takes up to 16 weeks - and turns it into diamonds at $4,000-$22,000 apiece. After extraction, the carbon is purified and shipped to a diamond press in Russia to be turned into a synthetic gem. Thus, one can wear one's spouse or even a pet as a necklace, pin, stud or ring.
Mummification will run you around $65,000. After you die, you spend about six months in a vat of "secret" preservative, then get a lanolin treatment before being wrapped up in gauze, rubberized, bandaged again, and placed in a bronze "mummiform." The cost is in the packaging.
Brent and Tyler Cassity provide visual eulogies via touchscreen biographies that can be viewed on a kiosk in their cemeteries. They feel that the deceased should be the primary focus of a cemetery visit, not some cold memorial stone. A bare-bones package includes 20 minutes of audio and 10 photos. A higher price gets you more, including songs and a videotape of the remembrance party. (Leif Technology puts these audio biographies right into the gravestones.)
More than 5,000 people have agreed to donate their bodies to an exhibition of "plastinated" corpses that has traveled Europe amid a storm of controversy. Gunther von Hagens skins and rubberizes the bodies.
How much more creative can we get? That remains to be seen (pun intended), but let's keep the wishes of our loved ones foremost. They may not want to be worn, mummified or plastinated. During a pre-need session, one man resisted becoming part of a painting - because he feared ending up one day in a garage sale.
In a message dated 10/31/02 10:43:40 AM, skip@cwo.com writes:
The California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau has noticed a public hearing on December 17, 2002, in Sacramento.
The purpose of the hearing is to discuss a proposed regulation relating to
preneed funeral arrangements. If enacted, it will require a "Disclosure
of Preneed Funeral Arrangement" form to be completed and maintained on
file. The form is part of the new regulation. The link below has all
relevant information, including a proposed copy of the form.
I encourage every funeral director with preneeds to read the information
and attend the meeting. There are no innocuous regulations promulgated by
the Department.
http://www.dca.ca.gov/cemetery/prop_regs.htm
Skip Jones
Funeral and Cemetery Consulting and Expert Witness
916-205-1346
www.cwo.com/~skip
It's the one journey we all make. On an average day, 5,500 people pass away. And with a regular funeral costing over $5,000, death in America is big business.
MODERN MARVELS® takes a long, hard look at the funerary industry, talking to people lie the president of Quirling Monuments and the Senior VP of Operations for Forest Lawn Memorial Parks to get a sense of how it works. Historians reveal how cultural attitudes about death have evolved over time, and how economics has long been integrated into these views--the ancient Greeks, for example, put coins on the eyes of the deceased to pay the tolls required to pass into the afterlife. Now, a basic casket will set a grieving family back $3,600, and more elaborate arrangements, like putting ashes into orbit around the moon, are far more expensive. No matter how you look at it, death is a very healthy business, with millions of guaranteed customers every year.
Contact: Fay Spano 800-228-6332
Brookfield, Wis. &endash; During the National Funeral Directors
Association's (NFDA) Annual Banquet, held October 23, 2002 in San
Antonio, Texas, David and Mary Lou Peters of Kernan & Company Insurance,
Windsor, Conn., won the grand-prize in NFDA's Political Action Committee
(PAC) Raffle. But the real winner turned out to be Mary's Place,
Windsor, Conn., when the Peters surprised the audience by donating the
entire $20,000 prize to the non-profit center for grieving children and
families. The Peters' winning ticket was one of 780 tickets sold at
$100 each.
"The Peters' generous gift is truly an amazing act of charity," said
NFDA Chief Executive Officer Christine Pepper. "Faced with the choice of
a brand-new Harley Davidson V-Rod motorcycle or $20,000, the Peters
instead decided to pass on their good fortune to children in need of
support and care."
NFDA Past-president John Carmon and his family established Mary's Place
in 1996. The center provides a trusting atmosphere for children and
teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or significant
person. Through age-related self-help groups, individual consultation
and referral, a safe place is provided to grieve and to heal.
The Peters' donation will help the center grow and expand its
opportunities to help children and teens heal after the loss of a loved
one.
The winner for a secondary $1,000 drawing in the PAC Raffle was not
present. Therefore, the money will be rolled over for next year's PAC
Raffle, increasing the prize pool to $2,000.
In addition to the raffle, NFDA's PAC also raised funds through a
silent auction. Donated items were displayed on the Expo floor during
convention and bids were submitted in writing.
State associations donated baskets of items and products from their
home state for the auction. A journalist from the British Broadcasting
Company (BBC) judged the baskets. Arizona won first place honors,
Montana took second place, and New York came in third. The auction
raised over $13,000, nearly doubling the total from the previous year.
NFDA's PAC is crucial to the association's government relations
efforts.
Thanks to the members who participate in activities like the raffle and
silent auction, NFDA is able to support members of Congress who advocate
public policies that benefit funeral directors, funeral service and
small business.
NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in
Washington, D.C. It is the world's oldest and largest nationwide
funeral service association, serving about 13,500 members. To learn
more about NFDA, visit our Website at www.nfda.org.
###
In a message dated 11/2/02 7:27:38 AM, Walter in Tennessee writes:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/11/01/offbeat.theme.funeral/index.html
In the last update, I (John McDonough) had written a comment about members actually voting in asssociation elections, Bob Biggins, NFDA's Secretary, read the post (listed in red just below) and wrote back.
Membership participation at the basic level, North Carolina has the right idea, I'd like to see the new star studded NFDA let their membership vote, did you know that the only people who can vote for NFDA officers are not actually members, non dues paying associations send delegates who vote in NFDA's officers, therefore technically speaking NFDA's election process is closed to their own members.
In a message dated 11/10/02 1:18:16 AM, Bob Biggins writes:
John,
This statement that appeared in your recent Internet posting concerns me. The election process in NFDA is not at all as you have described.
Each state that holds a charter in our Federation form of governance is allotted a delegate for every twenty-five members in that state. Therefore the larger the state delegate count is directly tied to the number of members from that given state.
Bob, states are not members nor do they pay dues to NFDA, how you make the connection non dues paying State Associations have a natural right to vote does not make scense to me.
At the annual House of Delegates meeting held each year in conjunction with our National Convention, the assembly will decide on a myriad of issues brought before the body ranging from constitutional issues, By-law changes and of course the annual election of officers.
Ahhh the myraid of issues (an excellent choice of words) is too thick, way too many issues to be decided on in such a short time, changing NFDA's antiquated election process is not high on participants itinerary
The votes that are cast are decided by the representative delegates from each state.
I understand the process Bob, however the aforementioned delegates do not have to be members of NFDA.
Each state has the right under the federation system to set policies and procedures for how those votes are cast. Some states allow each and every delegate to vote their own conscience, some states caucus on each issue to form a consensus and others allow a spokesperson (usually the state association president) to cast the votes in a block for the desired candidate or specific issue.
Bob, I have not seen the word member in the election process but I'm still reading.
This system is identical to how delegate votes are tallied and many general political conventions where a party will nominate and ultimately select the standard bearer that will represent that parties position in a general election.
Delegates at Republican and Democratic Conventions MUST be a members of the party they represent, and are elected to delegate by members of their party, NFDA's Federation or delgates are appointed or perhaps elected by the states associations not NFDA members.
You make the claim that "nonmembers" are the only ones allowed to vote, your are simply wrong!
I'm not convinced yet, but I'm still reading.
If it is your feeling that each and every individual member should be allowed to "cast their lot" for a candidate or issue, that would be outside the structure of our federation. Your position seems to want to compare it to our national, state or regional elections. This would require major restructuring of the entire system starting with state associations and then nationally.
Yes I do suggest a major restructuring, it would be member participaton at a grass roots level, in an age where memberhip particiation is undersupplied, I'd like to see you sponsor a change to a more Grass Roots member participation.
I would urge you to look closely at what you describe "the new star studded NFDA" and become involved. Start right at home in Massachusetts and foster change if you are so committed to it. Work to institute change by being proactive, productive and even provocative.
Now Bob, we both know I have tried to engage with the Mass FDA even as you went through it's chairs, the Mass Assn. is how you left it, my communications were ignored then and continue to go unanswered. I do what I can to enhance our profession and will continue to do so.
It is always easier in my opinion to be critical and vocal about an issue that we may not think is working to our expectations. What is the true measure, is our ability to dig in and garner the load to institute change, not for the sake of change, but for the viability of our future.
Bob in my opinion here the Emperor has no clothes, Members don't vote in NFDA elections, that's the fact and my issue, as for the new star studded NFDA, take a peek at the stars the new logo, or are they fireworks, we have a new CEO, and perhaps and option grass root membership participation, we are lucky to speak to thousands of funeral service professionals, we both know the spirt is out there.
I am proud to be part of the new NFDA. I am sorry that you were not able to be with us in San Antonio, where after my election I pledged to give of myself passionately and with an open ear to listen and seek guidance from all who would bless me with their earnest opinions. I extend that same sentiment to you with the caveat that we must be reasonable and willing to consider that we won't always agree.
I am proud of your dedication to our profession, I am sorry to have missed San Antonio but I commited to New Jersey's 100th Convention and it was a great convention as well. New Jersey actually has a voting machine at convention, ICFA members cast ballots, NFDA members could too. I am glad you take my notes as a blessing and as with the making of any gem sparkle there is going to be friction.
What we must agree upon is the need to be accurate at all cost and to never use our positions either as an elected leader of our national association or as a provider of information over the Internet to willfully make statements that aren't accurate.
Robert J. Biggins, CFSP, CPC
NFDA Secretary
Bob we will agree on most things but not on everything, God Bless America!. Thanks for taking the time to explain how NFDA's volunteer officers are selected, I recommend that people congratulate you with a hand shake and pat on the back for all you and the other dedicated volunteer officers do for our profession. regretfully there is a shortage of dedicated people such as yourselfs and plainly it may be time to think of a grassroot participation.
In words taken from another famous Federation, "live long and prosper."
Wishing you and your family a peaceful thanksgiving
еееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееееее
Ill be out in California at MORTUARY MANAGEMENT and FUNERAL MONITOR December 6-8, 2002 Tiburon, California (located just north of San Francisco) there won't be another update until mid or late December, you can expect a write up and maybe a few pictures of the event, maybe Ill see you there.
Hope you all have an the Best Thanksgiving, John McDonough
In a message dated 11/6/02 3:03:26 PM, Mike in Boston writes:
Chariots of the Dead Now the Living End
By SARAH MILSTEIN
WHEN Claire, the mortician's daughter on HBO's "Six Feet Under," drives
around in a used hearse repainted lime green, no one in her fictional
neighborhood &emdash; not to mention the television audience &emdash; is surprised.
But in real life, when a flamingo-pink hearse with the license plate
DY2GETIN cruises by, people do a double take.
Gerri Guadagno, an art director for Publishers Clearing House who lives
in Port Washington, N.Y., is the owner of the pink hearse, a 1983
Cadillac Concours d'Élégance. She had it painted and put on the vanity
plates when she bought it three years ago, and last fall she added an
American flag, taped to the antenna, and a "Bin Laden: Wanted Dead or
Alive" poster on the back window. In motion, flag flying, the hearse
looks a little like a parade float.
Ms. Guadagno, 47, has developed a small business giving people rides in
her hearse. Despite calling the service Dying-to-Get-In, she provides
transportation for life-affirming occasions like proms, weddings and
divorce parties. Patrons can elect to take the ride in a luxury coffin.
"I take a look at life on the more irreverent side," Ms. Guadagno said
recently.
Ms. Guadagno's hearse is far from the only funeral car enjoying a second
life more lighthearted than the first. Many used hearses are bought by
small funeral homes, but others are snapped up by people who are neither
funeral directors nor eccentrics obsessed with death, but who just want
to drive around in a big car with character.
Buyers point out that in addition to offering roominess and campy charm,
hearses are likely to have been well maintained. "What could be worse
for a funeral home than having a hearse break down on the way to a
funeral?" asked Pat Fish, a 47-year-old tattoo artist in Santa Barbara,
Calif., who bought hers in 1998. "I got a '59 Cadillac with 23,000
original miles in pristine shape. How else could you do that?"
Today, a typical hearse, sometimes called a funeral coach, is about 20
feet long, weighs about 7,000 pounds and sells for $70,000. An
automaker, usually Cadillac, supplies a special heavy-duty chassis with
a partial body. Then a specialized coach company elongates the chassis
and customizes the body. Behind the seats, a hearse's interior is
essentially an open cargo area, built to hold a coffin.
That cargo area appeals to most buyers of used hearses, but many also
like the look of the vehicle and accentuate it with customizing. There
is, for example, a subcategory of owners who create hot rod hearses with
souped-up engines and flame-striped hoods.
Other owners carefully restore hearses to their original appearance. The
Professional Car Society, a group with this approach, holds annual meets
but disallows entries with humorous touches like skeletons in a coffin
or leopard-print seat covers.
Owners say the cars get as little as 3 miles per gallon around town and
rarely more than 15 per gallon on the highway. Maneuvering is hard &emdash;
"you just get used to those 17-point turns," Ms. Fish said. And the lack
of side windows limits visibility in reverse. "I do everything I can not
to back up," she added.
One problem hearse owners don't seem to have is uncomfortable thoughts
about their cars' past passengers.
"What is so spooky about a hearse?" asked Paul Nix, 53, who supplied the
producers of "Six Feet Under" with two hearses through his dealership in
Los Angeles. "I'm more worried about live people."
Henry Duys, 37, a set builder from the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn
who owns a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville hearse, pointed out what many hearse
buffs note: people don't die in hearses, they die in ambulances.
"If anything were to be haunted," he said, "it would be a hospital."
Buying a Hearse
USED hearses offered for sale are typically at least 10 years old and
can go for as little as a few hundred dollars or as much as $35,000 for
a restored vintage model. Many have luxury detailing, like draperies in
the windows and sculptured interior panels, and low mileage on the
odometer.
To find one, check trade-ins at hearse dealerships, like Fleet Systems
in Fremont, Neb. (800-776-9444; www.geocities.com/fleetsystemsinc) and
look for secondhand hearse dealers like Professional Car Brokers West in
Los Angeles (818-893-3412). The Web site of the Professional Car Society
(www.professionalcar.org), whose members collect and restore vintage
hearses and other vehicles, lists dealerships in its "off-site links"
section.
To find individual owners with hearses to sell, try contacting some of
the dozens of clubs for hearse enthusiasts. Grim Rides
(www.grimrides.com) lists more than 330 other Web addresses where
hearse-related content can be found. Funeral-industry publications that
may have used-hearse classifieds and dealer listings include YB News,
Mortuary Management and American Funeral Director.
In a message dated 11/8/02 2:49:52 PM, Tom in Pennsylvania writes:
Katherine F. Moore 92 of Reading PA, Grandmother of Jonathan Moore of Wells Funeral Home, Waynesville, NC died November 6, 2002 in Reading.
In a message dated 11/23/02 6:01:27 PM, Tibbles in Massachusetts writes:
Remember this? The following were some comments made in the year 1957:
(1) "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, its going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for $20.00."
(2) "Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long when $5000 will only buy a used one."
(3) "If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous."
(4) "Did you hearthe post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?"
(5) "If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."
(6) "When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage,"
(7) "Kids today are impossible. Those ducktail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls,"
(8) "I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying damn in "Gone With The Wind", it seems every new movie has either Hell or damn in it."
(9) "I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."
(10) "Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday that they will be making more than the President."
(11) "I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now."
(12) "It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet."
(13) "It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work."
(14) "Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorces at the drop of a hat."
(15) "I'm just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business."
(16) "Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to Congress."
(17) "The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on."
(18) "There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel."
(19) "No one can afford to be sick any more, $35.00 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood."
In a message dated 11/23/02 8:35:06 PM, L in Texas writes:
Lesson Number One
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day.
A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"
The crow answered: "Sure, why not."
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow and rested.
All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Management Lesson?
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
==========
Lesson Number Two
A turkey was chatting with a bull.
"I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the Turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."
"Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull.
"They're packed with nutrients."
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Management Lesson?
Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
==============
Lesson Number Three
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Management Lessons?
1) Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3) When you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!
* * * * *
Here endeth your management course. I hope you leave here better equipped to successfully negotiate your way onto a brighter and more successful career.
In a message dated 11/24/02 8:42:22 AM, Joe in Michigan writes:
John I just read this on NFDA's website, sounds like they forgot they gave $1,000 in PAC dough (you know it buys us influence)
Joe I don't know who gets NFDAs PAC money, BUT, I must say I don't see any value to NFDA Boasting they have a Victory, suggesting that NFDA's Washington Office actually has influence is questionable, to me they seem to stir up more trouble than they are worth, ICFA on the other hand looks to handle Washington issues much better, Just my opinion, but I'll bet not many Congressmen or Senators attribute their election to NFDA. Thanks for your post. John
NFDA PAC Scores Major Victory in 2002 Elections
Based on the early numbers, the NFDA Political Action Committee (PAC) scored an 87.3% success rate in the elections held November 5, 2002!
In the 2001-2002 election cycle, NFDA contributed to 119 candidates (16 of whom were not running for re-election). Of the 103 who were, NFDA won 90 with one Senate race (South Dakota) still too close to call.
Of the Senate races, 16 of the candidates NFDA was supporting won, five lost, and one is still undecided. In this regard, funeral service won major victories in South Carolina, New Hampshire, Arkansas and Missouri.
Of the candidates running for the House of Representatives, 74 NFDA supported candidates won and 8 lost. Major victories for funeral service in some key open seat races occurred in Florida (Katherine Harris), Illinois (Rahm Emanuel), Indiana (Chris Chocola), Maine (Michael Michaud), Michigan (Candice Miller and Thaddeus McCotter), New Mexico (Steve Pearce), Ohio (Mike Turner and Tim Ryan), South Carolina (Gresham Barrett) and Tennessee (Lincoln Davis). Some key loses for funeral service occurred in Minnesota (Bill Luther), Connecticut (James Maloney) and Florida (Karen Thurman).
The election results will have a very positive effect on funeral service especially now that the republicans are in control of the Senate. Senator Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., will have difficulty moving any federal legislation to regulate funeral service.
All in all, this election was a major victory for the NFDA PAC and funeral service!
In a message dated 11/20/02 8:34:52 AM, Walter&Barbara in Tennessee writes:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2493291.stm
In a message dated 11/20/02 11:58:31 AM, Annomouse writes:
Storm over TV autopsy
By Maxine Frith and Laura Burkin, Evening Standard
20 November 2002
A maverick German doctor is defying a storm of public protest by carrying out Britain's first public dissection of a human body in 170 years tonight.
Professor Gunther von Hagens said he is determined to press ahead with the autopsy in front of Channel4 television cameras and a paying audience of 200 people at an art gallery in the East End.
The Department of Health is demanding that the professor should be arrested if he goes ahead with the dissection and Scotland Yard said today that a senior police officer would be among the audience to see if the law is broken.
Channel4 said it was undeterred by the controversy and would be going ahead with the broadcast.
Professor von Hagens said carrying out the autopsy was important for "educating people about their bodies and about death".
He said nothing was going to stop him performing an operation that was regularly held in public in the 16th century, usually in front of medical students.
He vowed: "I have no fear that police may come and arrest me as I perform the autopsy. I'm prepared for it, but also know that despite what the Department of Health say, I'm not breaking the anatomy law.
"If they want to lock me up for it, then let them. I have a briefcase full of books which will keep me company if they decide to throw me in jail. I won't be on my own.
"This is important because people should have the chance to have an understanding of what is involved in a process which is ordered on them or their loved ones without consent. They televise operations so why not an autopsy?"
The professor has changed his plans to dissect the body of a 33-year-old woman who suffered from epilepsy and will instead perform the autopsy on the preserved body of a 72-year-old German man.
He said the man had given consent and so had the man's relatives who were expected to be present at the autopsy at the Boiler House in Brick Lane, east London.
But campaign groups including the charity Epilepsy Bereaved said it was going ahead with a protest outside the gallery and will be asking people to think twice before going in to see it.
Professor von Hagens caused a sensation with his controversial Body Worlds exhibition of preserved human corpses which is taking place in Brick Lane.
Department of Health officials today claimed that Professor von Hagens did not have a licence under the Anatomy Act of 1984.
Inspector of Anatomy Dr Jeremy Metters has written to the professor threatening "criminal penalties" if the autopsy goes ahead.
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In a message dated 10/24/02 10:04:55 AM, h_benjie@bellsouth.net writes:
John, I'm looking for owners of the Millenium line of cremators for thier comments on the unit. Please have them respond to h_benjie@bellsouth.net or on your newsletter comment section.
Thanks, Benjie Hughes
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In a message dated 11/3/02 10:17:22 PM, Steve in Arizona writes:
Dear John.
I understand NFDA is looking at an advertising buy-in where, for a price, you can be part of a nation wide awareness of NFDA and it's members.
I think every funeral home owner has to look at his business and ask, is my funeral home in whatevertown, USA will really recieve more name value from a NFDA endorsement ad than those firms that who don't? What will it cost?
Know that the new NFDA logo is not just sprucing up their image. It is a lead in to buy in. As our families find out, you may find value in the product we offer or you may not, but the choice should be yours.
STEVE I Don't Know, I have forwareded your note to NFDA's COO-Christine Pepper she wrote back fielding the question to NFDA's Senior VP Laura Glowe lets see what they have to say about it.
In a message dated 11/24/02 3:25:42 PM, lglawe@nfda.org writes:
November 24, 2002
I appreciate your recent request for information and the opportunity to share with you the direction in which NFDA is headed with its consumer campaign. Based on key findings from our extensive marketing research project, NFDA believes this external initiative is vital to the future success of funeral service. The consumer campaign, which is currently in the planning stages, is one of the Association's top, strategic priorities for 2003.
The marketing research report, which is summarized in the October issue of The Director, elaborates on several critical issues. One major finding is that the public trust of the funeral service profession is eroding&emdash;and even suggests the image of the profession is at an all-time low. The research indicates that while consumers find value in and have an appreciation of a meaningful funeral, they feel skeptical and vulnerable when making arrangements with a funeral director. Their perception of the industry as a whole is plummeting
As many funeral directors believe, and NFDA agrees, 1.) the public needs to be better educated when it comes to funeral service and 2.) the image of the profession needs to improve. And while it didn't take a comprehensive research project to reveal this, the results of the study utter the urgency and the degree to which the above two points need to be addressed.
Part of NFDA's action plan has recently included the launch of a new brand for NFDA. The core of this brand is to establish the credibility of the profession; to become accountable to members and the public; and to provide members the new tools and skills they will need to survive and thrive in today's changing marketplace. Today's consumers have changed, and that may require funeral service to think about a new way of working with families and providing service.
As NFDA takes a look to the future, we are in the process of establishing a continuum of opportunities to benefit members and help them enhance service to families. To that end, the launch of a grassroots consumer campaign in 2003 will be a prime endeavor.
NFDA has explored a variety of possibilities, including a grand-scale national campaign that would cost upwards of $5 million. While the results of such a campaign are appealing, at this time, NFDA will be aggressively pursuing a grassroots approach that will hopefully be widely embraced by members.
Preliminarily, the NFDA consumer campaign will be well thought out and easily implemented by members of both large and small funeral homes. One key objective will likely focus on providing ready-made materials and tactics that will build the visibility and credibility of participating funeral homes. Another key objective will be to better educate the public about funeral service. Overall, the campaign will unify funeral directors who wish to advocate and send a strong, consistent message throughout the country. Finally, the consumer campaign will include national components and state-level components so that NFDA and interested state associations can be active in supporting the campaign. Target audiences will be boomers, seniors, media outlets and public officials.
As mentioned, NFDA is in the planning stages, but expects to release more detailed information about the consumer campaign opportunity during the first quarter of 2003. This will be a voluntary program for any NFDA member who wishes to participate.
NFDA believes funeral service is at a critical juncture. We also believe there will be widespread support for the consumer campaign. More and more, members have been asking for this service. Also, part of our market research project included focus groups with members. The primary result was overriding. The number one thing members stated they want from NFDA is help developing a proactive marketing strategy to better inform the consumer about funeral service. Respectfully, that is what we are setting out to do. NFDA believes it is not only for the life of your business, but for the profession as a whole!
I hope this has helped clarify NFDA's direction. I also hope you can be supportive of our positive intent and efforts to advance funeral service. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me at 800-228-6332.
Sincerely,
Laura Glawe, APR
Sr.VP, Marketing Communcations
National Funeral Directors Association
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In a message dated 11/20/02 7:44:26 PM, Dennis in New Jersey writes:
Hi all,
Thought you might find this a little funny!!
Den
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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